Afterlife
by leo0821
Summary: Three years after Atem has pasted on and now Yugi is lost, on a request he hs gone with Professore Hockings to Egypt, will something happen while he's there? Atem/Yugi Rated M cause I'm parinode.
1. Chapter 1

YU_GI_OH AFTERLIFE (YAIO) Chapter 1  
I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH. THREE YEARS AFTER ATEM LEAVES YUIG.  
CHAPTER 1  
Yugi watched as the young boy ran off quickly trying not to be late in his first day to the Duelist Academy that Kiaba now ran. The boy for some reason reminded him of his high school days, running around with the gang trying to follow his destiny to help save the world. After the final test was done, his closest friend was finally returned to the place he belonged and the gang went back to their easy peaceful days like the duels in the Shadow Realm never happened. But unfortunally for him he couldn't forget that easily and return to his old life before the Millennium Puzzle had come to him.  
Yugi pulled out his deck and flipped through the cards once again remembering all that they and the Pharaoh had been through. He found himself doing this increasing more every day, reliving the past and the importance of all he and the sprit had done. Sighing once again Yugi replaced the deck back into the holster on his belt and walked toward the ocean just to stare out at it, and try to find were his destiny was going to lead him now. Ever since that day Atem had left Yugi couldn't seem to find his path in life now, and this feeling of being lost only got worse when he graduated High School and his friends began to walk done there separate paths. Tea was now an accomplished dancer and had been given a contract deal in America, Joey and Mie were now the top tag team duelists in the nation and dating. Tristen and Serenidy were also dating and were making a big hit in Dungeon Dice Monsters, and Duke was busier than ever promoting his game, with huge contracts with both Kiaba and Pegasus. Kiaba had his company and now the Duelist Academy to oversee and Bakura was working alongside his father as an archeologist. Yugi looked at his reflection in the water, it looked exactly like the Pharaoh now, same height and voice, he was still paler and didn't have the blond lightning streaks in his hair.  
To Yugi it feels like all of them were moving forward on their own paths, and he was just standing still, he still dueled in all the tournaments and Kiaba's company had him testing some of their new systems but that still felt like that's not what he was supposed to be doing. Sighing, Yugi watched as the orange and red/yellows of the sunset sank into the ocean before heading back to the Game Shop.

To Yugi surprise when he got there all the lights were still on, "Grandpa I'm home!"  
"Yugi! Good your just in time, we have company." Grandpa said excitedly his grey hair almost bouncing in delight.  
"Who is it?"  
"It's Arthur, Professor Arthur Hockings."  
"Yugi my boy, it's been quite some time since we last saw each other. You've grown quiet a lot since then." Arthur looked up from his spot at the table. Yugi could feel his face fall into a slightly annoyed expression, it seemed everyone loved commenting on his height, and how much he's grown. Arthur laughed at the expression knowing exactly what was running through Yugi's head. "Come sit down, maybe you can help me convince your stubborn grandfather to join me on an expedition in Egypt."  
Yugi looked at him surprised, "You're going to Egypt?"  
"Yes, it seems my theory about the origins of duel monster is starting to be appreciated and some of my colleges have found a very promising sight to excavate, and I was hoping that since Rebecca didn't want to come that your grandfather would, for old times' sake."  
"Now Arthur I've already told you, I can't. I'm too old now and besides I have my shop to look out for." Grandpa said matter of factly.  
"I could look out for the shop Grandpa, it's been awhile since you've gone on an adventure." Yugi spoke up.  
"Now that's a great idea." Grandpa slapped a fist onto the palm of his other hand, "Yugi will go in my place, and beside the last time you were there you didn't really get to appreciate Egypt very much." He shook his head disappointedly.  
"But Grandp-"  
"That's an excellent idea Solomon! And who better to ask for advice on ancient Egyptian ruins than the counter-part of the Pharaoh himself! It's brilliant, why didn't I think of that." Arthur jumped over Yugi's words barring his protest.  
"Then it's all settled, will be leav-"  
"Hold it! Don't I get to have a say in my going or not?" Yugi interrupted.  
"…..Arthur, give me a second with my grandson." Grandpa asked in his no argument way.  
"Of course." And Arthur left to the other room.  
"Yugi look at me. I know you've been confused for quite a while now, you've been hiding it well but I can see it. Your trying to find your way ever since your destiny to save the world was finished and the Pharaoh left, your lost and you can't find your path, and it's been getting worse after that dueling accident a few months ago, you haven't even dueled since then." Yugi was surprised that his Grandpa could see all this when he thought he had been hiding it so well. "You need to find your way and I think getting out of town and going on another adventure will help you figure out where your path is leading you, so go to Egypt with Arthur and visit the place that you left your most important friend and find your way."  
Yugi looked down at the ground, having all of the things he's been feeling spoken out loud made them even harder to bare and the thought of visiting the resting place gave him hope that he would find his way and his path.  
"Good, now go upstairs and pack you'll leave in a few hours. I'll finish talking with Arthur and then we'll head to the airport."


	2. Chapter 2

YU-GI-OH Chapter 2 (I don't own YUGIOH)

Arthur watched as Yugi slept in the seat beside him, it'd been a good ten hours since they had taken off and not for the first time thought of what it might be like to be him ran through Arthurs mind. To have been a shy kid suddenly given an ancient puzzle and dared to solve it, only finding when he did that his great destiny had just began. He made friends and began to duel, beating the strongest duel monster player in the world and saving his grandfather only to later face the creator of the game and have his Grandfather soul stolen, and being forced to take place in the greatest duel monsters tournament. I travel to the shadow realm and back really finding out what the millennium puzzle could do and finding out that you were destined to help an ancient Pharaoh save the world once again. To be hunted by all manner of people wanting to stop you and claim the puzzles and the Pharaohs power for themselves, to have been separated from each other when your bond was so strong then to reunite only to face more evil and when the final battle was done to face your closest and most trusted friend in a duel for his freedom. After that how could anyone really return to a life as normal as the one he lived before it was no wonder the boy was lost.  
Arthurs mind wondered back to his conversation with Solomon.  
"Please take Yugi with you to Egypt, I think the time away will help him find his way."  
"He's way, but isn't he still dueling? He doesn't act lost?"  
"He dose hide it well doesn't he, but ever since the Pharaoh returned to his land Yugi's never really been the same and there was an accident a few months back and he hasn't dueled since. He can't really find his way to the path he's destined to take now. He sees his friends and what there accomplishing and moving toward and he can see all he's doing is standing still while they get further and further ahead of him. He needs help but there is nothing I or anyone here can do to help him it's something he'll haft to figure out on his own." Solomon looked into his cup sadly.  
"What kid could go there what he has and not have trouble going forward when someone you really care about was left in the past, if you think taking him to Egypt with me will help him in some way then of course I'll help. I still owe Yugi for his help in the Atlantic city fiasco."  
Arthur sighed as he looked out his window to finally see the airport and that they were on their final descent.  
"We're here aren't we." Yugi said.  
"Yes, we are."

Yugi stretched as they waited for their luggage to be loaded into the car that would take them to the hotel, looking around memories of his last visit flooded his mind, they continued the whole way to the hotel, the very same hotel that he stayed in last time.  
"Yugi, if you feel up to it after we settle in some of my colleges would like it if we came to dinner with them."  
"That sounds great I didn't think I'd be so hungry after the flight." Considering  
he'd been wearing the same cloths since yesterday he decided to change. Going to dinner with Arthurs colleges would of made the old Yugi nervous but not the Yugi he was now, he was confident in himself and made sure that he wore that confidences but not to obviously. He wore a black long sleeve with a grey/silver vest over it with his black studded collar necklace, he wore his usual dark blue pants and double looped studded belt with his deck holster on it, last but not least he wore the cartouche that Tea had bought and had Atem's name carved into it.  
"Yugi, ready?" Arthur asked when he came out of his room, nodding we headed to the dining area to meet his colleges. "Ah, there they are, looks like they are all here. Good afternoon my friends."  
"Ah Arthur there you are, we were beginning to wonder if you were going to show up." A man with large round glasses and a white mustache shook Arthurs hand and patted his back. "Oh who is this you have brought with you?"  
"This is my friend Yugi Mouto, grandson to Solomon Mouto."  
"It's nice to meet you." Yugi held out his hand.  
"Not that Solomon's grandson, it's nice to meet you." Yugi's hand was grabbed and shaken roughly as others from the group began to crowd around. "I'm Benjamin Emerson, I was a in awe of your grandfather, someone that was younger than with so much knowledge of Egypt I was amazed."  
"Yes, I dear say he was, he didn't stop talking about him when he returned to his museum, I'm Kelly Emerson his wife and the hieroglyph expert on this expedition." A women with a strong figure and silver mixing in with her dark hair pushed her husband out of the way to shake his hand. "It's hard to believe someone as young as you is the undefeated King of Games and Champion."  
"What he's the King of Games?" a red haired man asked in surprise.  
"My god you claim to know everything about the game of Duel Monsters but you couldn't even recognize the King of Games, Jordan. How sad." The red haired man named Jordan scowled at Kelly.  
"Well it's a pleasure to meet you all." Yugi said kindly.  
"It certainly is, now let's all sit down so we can eat." Arthur said. For the first twenty minutes it passed without any question as we ordered are meals, but after many questions were asked and most were directed at him.  
"So Yugi I couldn't help but notice the necklace you were wearing," Kelly pointed to the cartouche "I know for certain that's not you're name in hieroglyphs, so who's Atem." The sudden question took Yugi by surprise and it took a few seconds to recover.  
"It's the name of a dear friend that left two years ago for the Resting Place of Kings."  
"The Resting Place of Kings, like of Pharaohs?" Benjamin asked.  
"Yes, he was a Pharaoh," his comment was meet with confused stares "it's complicated, really complicated."  
"I would imagine it would be since Pharaohs haven't excited for hundreds of years." Kelly said. They waited for a further explanation but Yugi couldn't possibly know if they could be trusted with a secret like this, glancing toward Arthur and he gave a slight nod.  
"Well he was five thousand years old, he was a spirit trapped inside a magical item."  
"The Millennium Items?" Jordan asked out of the blue.  
Yugi looked at him in astonishment "How did you know about the Millennium Items?"  
"I'd just finished a transcription and these magical items came up in it with this Pharaoh that saved the world with them but lost his life in the battle, but that's all."  
"He didn't die, not really his spirit was trapped inside the Millennium Puzzle one of the seven items."  
"How do you know there are only seven?" Kelly asked skeptilly.  
"Because I used to have all seven of them in my possession."  
"What!" all three of them reacted.  
"Yes, five years ago my grandfather dares me to solve a puzzle that he had found inside a Egyptian tomb, he was unable to sole it because he was not one side of the same coin, but I was. I solved the Millennium Puzzle and made a wish on it. My wish came true, to have friends that actually cared for me, but unknown to me my closet friend was the ancient sprit residing in the puzzle. It was because of one duel I really became aware of the spirits presence and after duelist kingdom I had fully tapped the magic inside the puzzle, but that summoned more trouble and people with other millennium items came after the Pharaoh and his power. The Pharaoh at the time had no memoires but he knew there was a reason for his being here and that's why we met. We became two sides of the same coin and together we overcame many battle and hardships, but in the end when it was all said and done we had one final test to overcome. See threw out our whole experience we were learning things from each other, things like kindness and bravery and friendship, but because of the very same bond we shared the only thing that would set the Pharaoh free was to break the bond, so I had to duel him and I had to win to free him or he would be trapped inside the puzzle for another five thousand years. We dueled and I won, both the Pharaoh and the Melinum Items were gone for good." After he was done he was met with quiet stares until our food arrived then the questions continued.  
"So you had an ancient spirit living in the same body as you for years. That's amazing, but you never said were you got the other Items from." Jordan spoke up.  
"I won some of the items threw duels but most of the items were given to me, the combined power of all the items is what allowed me to separate from the Pharaoh and battle him and allowed him to pass on after he lost, after that they served their purpose and were destroyed."  
"That's an amazing story, then you may be a lot of help in filling in the gaps in the story." Kelly said happily, "I'm not sure about you guys but I'm ready to get started now!"  
"Why don't we head to the site after we finish eating, then Yugi can get a better sense of what's going on." Benjamin suggested.  
"I'd love to see what you're working on."  
"Then it's settled." Arthur said.


	3. Chapter 3

YU-GI-OH Chapter 3 (I don't own yugioh)

The sight they had set up was one of the most amazing things Yugi had ever seen, there were rows of tents everywhere and artifacts laid all over the place in different stages in deciphering.  
"It's amazing I know, come on the tent you should start in is over here." Jordan lead me to a tent on the far side, inside was carvings with duel monsters depicted on it. "You can look at anything if you see something that's not quite right then let me know and we'll work through it."  
Yugi nodded and immediately spotted a mistake, "Here, look here, I believe you've translated this part wrong from the rest of the text this is actually called the Shadow Realm not Dark Realm though they are very close, and here as well it's not Dark Games but Shadow games."  
"Alright, what exactly is a Shadow Realm or Game?"  
"It's a duel in a dark realm where if you lose, your very soul could be trapped to wander for all eternity, and depending on the abilities of your opponent the Shadow Realm could turn into a living nightmare for a person trapped there. I should know I've been there more times than I like."  
"Interesting, its sounds very interesting." Jordan mumbled as he reexamined the hieroglyphs he translated wrong, making adjustments here and there.  
After three weeks of this, Yugi was finished looking through their research, and had given them much more than they had in the beginning. Stretching, pain shot through Yugi's stomach, cringing he laid his hand over the source, the memories coursing in his mind Yugi stood suddenly and walked out of the tent trying to clear his mind. Walking with no attention to where he was going he soon found himself in the nearby ruins and letting his mind wonder more, it was true, he had been enjoying his-self but that only provided a slight distraction to the confusion in his mind and heart. Yugi paused, the ruins were starting to look very familiar to him.  
"It couldn't be!" he said aloud. Running forward till he came to the caved in spot, were once there had been a staircase leading down to the final resting place of Millennium Items, and the place he had battled and won against Atem. It was ironic he decided that he should come here to were his friend was last seen when his heart was in such turmoil. "My dear friend, I miss you so much. I hope you have found peace at last, unfortunally I have still not found my path. And the more time that pasts the more I worry I never will, all of our friends are continuously moving forward on their paths but I am still standing still without a path to move forward on." Yugi clenched the cartouche around my neck.  
"My friend I could so use your guidance and wisdom now, I try to follow my heart but it tells me nothing for it is still here, stuck in the past not moving forward." Releasing the necklace Yugi stared at the cave in for a while hoping for some sign even though it was silly. Turning to head back a golden glint shimmered in the corner of his eye, turning his gaze, the golden glint became brighter and began to swirl together. Shielding his eyes Yugi stepped back, only to find he was being dragged into the light, resist as he might he soon found himself falling through darkness.

Falling, falling through darkness and stars, then they stop and clarify, and Yugi dropped suddenly onto a hard surface. Grimacing in pain he rubbed his head were a bump was already forming, sitting up Yugi looked out into a dessert paradise. A small lake with palm trees growing beside it, surrounded on all sides by tall pillars and walls. Confused Yugi walked out into the cool night air, it was quiet except for the soft whispers of a breeze, turning back the way he had come Yugi gasped. Behind him was a palace. "I-it couldn't be. Am I in ancient Egypt?" Before he had much time to think, someone had come up behind and was placing a weapon into his back.  
"Halt stranger, hands up and turn around slowly." The male voice spoke. Slowly Yugi raised his hands and turned to face his two attackers, their faces quickly turned to suspicion to shock. "M-my Pharaoh, please forgive us we did not relies it was you." They kneeled. Pharaoh? Yugi questioned, there was only one person they could of have mistaken him for and that was Atem,Yugi's heart leaped suddenly filled with unnamed emotion at the thought of seeing his long unseen friend, but before he could speak one shot to their feet and pointed there weapon at him once again.  
"Imposter! The Pharaoh is out in battle and hasn't returned! Who are you?" the other one relishing this also stood and pointed his weapon.  
Thinking quickly "I came to request an audience with the Pharaoh."  
"Nonsense, if that were true you wouldn't have been sneaking around here in the middle of the night. Restrain him." Yugi backed up quickly, preparing to run only to be sized from behind and forced onto the sandy ground, sand coated his mouth, he spat as the guards roughly bound his hands behind him and forced him upwards and forward. "We'll take him to the dungeon, the Pharaoh can decide his fate afterwards."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)  
"My Pharaoh, you have returned safely." A guard came running up to the large group of warriors kneeling before his Pharaoh.  
"Yes, lets thank the gods for that, how were things while I was away?"  
"Good, except…"  
"Yes, except for what?"  
"While you were gone, about an hour ago some guards caught a trespasser inside the palace, he wore strange clothes and could give no explanation for his presence here. They took him into custody and are awaiting your judgment."  
"Strange clothes, what do you mean?"  
The young guard looked nervous, "I mean they were strange and what's stranger is that he could be your look alike."  
Confusion crossed Atem's face "umm… very well bring this trespasser to me and I will hear his story for myself."  
"Yes sir."

Atem watched curiously as his guards whispered nervously around the room, he could overhear much of their conversations. They were saying how much the two of them looked alike, both in appearance and voice, but more surprising in the way that they carried themselves, in a way that demands respect and shows confidence.  
As if on some silent signal they all looked toward the entrance to his throne room, as the trespasser and two guards flanking him on either side walked toward him. Strangely, Atem noticed that his most trusted monster the Dark Magician didn't materiel like he usually did when a unknown presence approached him.  
"My King." The gaurs kneeled, blocking his view of the prisoner.  
"Speak trespasser, tell me why you have come here?" Atem called out.  
A few seconds passed before the trespassertrying despertly to calm the excited nervouse hammering of his heart at the sound of Atems voice. spoke up "Well Pharaoh, I was rather hoping you could tell me why I'm hear." He said casually and stepped out from behind the guards.  
Shocked, Atem stood at Yugi's appearance, "Yugi! Is that you?"  
"It's been awhile Atem." he smiledall the tight feelings in his cheast relising.

"Release him immediately, he is my dear friend." Atem demanded as he descended from his throne. The guards immediately relished Yugi's bound hands and quickly backed away as the Pharaoh approached. Rubbing the soreness out of his hands from being tightly bound for so long Yugi walked over to meet his longtime friend. "My god, it really is you, but how?"  
"My thoughts exactly, but that aside I am very glad to see you."More than glad, yugi thought, he could almost hug him, but he controlled himself. This childlike fondness for Atem surprised Yugi, he hadn't felt so carefree like his old self in such a long time it'd suprissed him how much he'd missed the feeling.  
"It looks like we will be needing to talk then, follow me and welcome to my palace Yugi. Guards make it known that he is a very special gest." Atem turned as Yugi followed him down a hidden hallway that led to what looked like a sleeping quarters, with access to a privet pond off to the side. "What do you think?"  
"It looks like a place worthy of a king."  
"Yes, and the only place we can truly talk in privet. Tell me Yugi how did you get here? Not only is this my kingdom five thousand years ago but this is also on the other side of the veil of life."  
Yugi shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine. All that I know is that I came to Egypt accompanying Professor Hockings, they had found a new dig that contained a large amount of knowledge of the millennium items and of the Shadow Realm. They asked me to help with some of the more detailed bits of their research, considering I've been to the Shadow Realm and that we shared a body for years." Atem smiled at the found memories.  
"I was finished with the things they needed my help with, and I went walking in the ruins to clear my head, hoping to find some way out of my cluttered thoughts and confusion. It didn't take me long to relies that some of the ruins looked very familiar and before I'd reliesed it I was at the spot that we dueled, it's been caved in for three years but for some reason I was back there. As I was leaving something caught my eye, a golden light, I got sucked into it and the next thing I know is that I'm waking up somewhere in your palace thoroughly confused, and then your guards found me and held me till we meet up."  
"That is curious, maybe your meant to help with the battles happening in my kingdom."  
"Battles?"  
He nodded "Yes, my kingdom is in a state of uproar, a powerful monster has arrived from who knows were and not only is it destroying my kingdom its turning my people against me through some sort of manipulation power it uses. So far all my attempts to destroy it have been futile, I don't wield a strong enough power to destroy it."  
"A strong power, like the Egyptian gods?"  
"Yes, but I can't control them completely on my ow-" he stopped and a smile spread across his face. "Yugi I think I just found the reason why you're here. One side of a coin my not be able to control them but both side can."  
Yugi smiled, understanding the meaning, "And together there's nothing we can't defeat."  
We looked confidently at each other when Atem's face quirked in amusement, "We might haft to make a few changes first." Yugi looked up confused, Atem was staring at his clothes, he meant a literal change, of clothes. "  
"What else am I supposed to were, I didn't exactly pack for ancient Egypt."  
"I think we can handle that." Five minutes later, Yugi was dressed similarly to Atem, with gold arm bands and wrist cuffs, a golden head piece and a single gold earring. He had on a dark blue cloak draped across his shoulders and a white linen kilt fastened with a golden piece at his hip. Yami watched as Yugi ruffled and shifted the kilt and gold pieces, without rielising, he was paying way to much attention to Yugis movements. He watched as the gold earring and head piece gave an unexpected light to Yugis face, outlining the features just right, and the way the gold armbands out lined Yugis taunt muscular arms, that used to be much softer like a child's, the way the gold braces on his wrists made his fingers enticingly long. The dark blue cape enhancing the fairness of his pale skin, Atems eyes wandered and notice the way the gold hip piece brought extra attention to the muscular plains of Yugis stomach and the lines that lead to hidden secrets beneath the soft white cloth.

Yugi looked up to see Atem staring at him with a focused yet dazed look almost seeing threw him, it made Yugi shiver and a slight blush rise on his cheeks out of sudden awareness he was shirtless in front of Atem. Trying to distract himself he spoke up, "I hope I put everything on correctly."

Atem snapped out of his daze, "Not quiet." Yugi watched as Atem reached up to the side of his face, his fingers skimming the skin on his neck, making a shiver run through him, he could feel Atems breath on his neck as he tugged on his ear. Yugi felt his lower section react slightly as Atem reached around the other side of his body to tug at the back of his ear, encasing him in a hug almost, and prayed that I'd gone unnoticed. Because now Yugi could feel the heat from the Pharaohs skin radiate off him they were so close. "There, that's better." Atem's voice was a beep huskey sound so close to Yugis ear, another shiver wracked threw him as Atem leaned away. "Your earring was slightly twisted, and with this, I think the servants will have a hard time deciding which one is the real Pharaoh." We laughed and Yugis' previous worries fell away as he relished the company of his friend. "Come I have a feeling that if we don't return soon, the priests will come looking for us."  
"Well they do kinda deserve a explanation. I did pretty much drop out of the sky." Atem smiled as he held the curtain aside for Yugi to enter into the throne room first. Smiling back Yugi held the other side open "I think it would be best if you went first, I don't know much about ancient Egypt court etiquette but I think that this would be better, at least for your loyal subjects."  
"hum.. you might be right on that." Atem walked through, with Yugi close behind. Atem sat and raised a hand for his kneeling subjects to rise, Yugi stood next to him and it was immediately noticed how close the two were.  
"You! How dare you stand so close to the Pharaoh like you're on the same level as he is!" Yugi remembered this to be Seto one of Atem's High Priests. "You may be his friend but you are not his equal!"  
"Seto, stand down it is quiet all right, Yugi has much right to be sitting on this throne as I do." Atems comment brought silence to the room, until the priest that looked like Yugis grandfather walked forward.  
"Forgive me my Pharaoh but this is rather shocking, could you please give us a better explanation."  
"Very well, Yugi is in a sense a part of me, or a descendant of mine, five thousand years in the future." More puzzled looks and confused faces. "After the last Great War in your time I had only disappeared for a few days but in truth I was trapped as a spirit in the Millennium Puzzle for five thousand years, until Yugi reassembled the puzzle and my spirit was reawakened. After that we saved the world once again in Yugis time, he was able to release my spirit after defeating me in a duel and I returned here." Silence returned.  
"I don't belie it! There's no way something like he could be a descendent of ours could be true, and he defeated you is even more ridicules!" Seto denied with all his soul.  
"It is rather hard to accept." Grandfather look alike said, the other nodded their heads in agreement with the two priests.  
Yugi couldn't help keep the small smirk that came to his face "What is it Yugi?"  
"He is quite a lot like Kiaba isn't he more so than I thought possible."  
"Yes it is rather astonishing, and like the Kiaba in your era he needs solid proof of unbelievable things, You'll haft to show them something that even they couldn't ignore." Atem removed the Dia Dimet and handed it to Yugi.  
Yugi understood facing the skeptical priest he placed the ancient duel disk on his left arm "If you do not believe in what we say then I'll haft to prove it."  
Seto noticed the Duel disk "You're going to summon a monster, impossible you don't have the knowledge or a Millennium Item!" As Yugi walked past him, he smiled confidently "Just watch."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

Atem watched silently as Yugi walked past the group of priests, Yugi held himself high not flinching under the stares of scrutiny. Atem decided he liked this new more confident and brave side of Yugi, the old Yugi would have been shy and too nervous to even try hiding it, he would of stayed silently behind Atem not saying a word. But the one before him was brave enough to even bait Seto's flaming temper. This fact also made him a little sad, it was something he noticed earlier, Yugi had lost that carefree childness that was once so much a part of him.

Yugi closed his eyes taking a deep breath to settle himself, he didn't really have much of a clue how this was going to work out. Like Seto had pointed out he didn't have a Millennium item to harness the powers of the shadows….or did he. Concentrating he looked for that familiar old link that had connected him to the power of the Puzzle, it was there and it was as strong as if he had never been separated from the puzzle and its powers. Yugis mind dove into the power and he could feel it gathering around him, he opened his eyes aware that the millennium symbol had appeared on his forehead. He raised the arm with the ancient duel disk on it, using the power, he summoned a creature that was said to only obey the Pharaoh.

"Here my call, I summon you. DARK MAGICIAN!" Yugi called with authority. A mass of violet flames appeared before him collecting the magical energy's around them before it took shape, kneeling before him.

The Dark Magician looked up "My Pharaoh's, it was a surprise that my pharaoh from the future has summoned me in this time, and I swear as it has always been my duty to protect both of you with my life."

Yugi smiled, "Thank you, but I am no Pharaoh here your first duty should be to protect the king of this time, I am nothing more than a friend here."

The Dark Magician dipped his head in respect "Very well, if that is what you wish I will obey." And disappeared. Turning Yugi cringed at the sight before him, all the priest were knelling to him just as the Dark Magician had, all except one, Seto had turned and marched angrily out of the throne room.

Atem smiled at the sight of Yugi, just standing there not sure what to make out of the sight before him and what to do to get it to stop. It was the most flustered and panicky Atem had seen him, it brought much of the childness back to him. "They are showing you respect, if you want them to stop you haft to give them permission."

Yugi looked at Atem sitting on his throne with an amused expression clearly enjoying himself at Yugis obvious unease at the sight of people bowing before him. Even if the bowing didn't make him uneasy, Yugi new he didn't deserve anything like respect, not when it was his fault that he had almost gotten his friends killed. "Please stand, as I said I am not the Pharaoh and you do not need to kneel before me, your first priority should be your true king." He didn't deserve their respect, absently his hand brushed his side. Atem looked at Yugi excessing, a sudden sadness had appeared on his face, Atem watched as Yugi brushed his left side just under the ribs, when Yugi removed his hand Atem wondered how he hadn't seen it before. There marring the flawless pale skin was a deep jagged scar, even at just a glance you knew it was a deep painful wound, both in body and heart. It wasn't the first time he had thought this but why had Yugi lost the carefree sprit he possessed.

Yugi walked back threw the group of priest, when the young spell caster Mana stopped him.

"Wow I can't believe it you really are just like the Pharaoh you can even summon the Dark Magician that's so cool!"

"Mana behave." The man that looked like Yugis grandfather scolded, "I do wish to ask, if you are from a different time how do you understand our language, can you also read our writings?" That though hadn't accrued to both Yugi and Atem.

"It must be by some type of magic and no I can't read hieroglyphics." Yugi wondered why this was brought up.

"I do not believe that the gods brought Yugi here to help decipher the ancient text on that book, but for another purpose all together." Atem said drawing all the attention away from Yugi, allowing him to return to his original spot next to Atem.

"If that's not why he's been sent here then what do you think it was? For I fear we are running out of time to decipher that text and find the way to defeating this evil." That brought a bout of worried and hurried discussions between all the priest as they tried to find a way to speed up translation.

"So we fix one problem but another arises." Atem sighed tiredly.

"What problem was that?"

"Getting the others to except the truth about you, but you seemed to handle that well."

"Speaking of that, how did you know I would be able to tap into the power of the Millennium Puzzle and summon the Dark Magician?"

Atem laughed lightly and sly smile curled his lips, "I didn't."

"WHAT! Then why did you have me do that, what if it didn't work?" Yugi asked appalled at the potentially embarrassment he could of made of himself.

"I wasn't worried, you had the power so it was mostly a hunch." Atem's smile stayed in place as Yugi put on a very annoyed expression and stared at him fiercely.

Sighing Yugi gave up on his anger, "So, what is this ancient text that there trying to decipher?"

The Pharaohs face darkened, "It's the book that held the spell to create the Millennium Items. We have also found passages that mention Dansike the Destroyer in it, we believe we have found a passage that contains the weakness or hopefully a way to completely destroy it. But another worry is the human that's helping this evil, and we don't have the slightest clue as to that may be."

" Dansike the Destroyer, is that the creature that you told me about."

"Yes." He closed his eyes in an attempt to dislodge the stress of the situation his kingdom was in. "It's almost night, why don't we have dinner and talk about more pleasant things." Yugi nodded thinking distracting Atem from the situation would be the best thing for him. He dismissed his Priest and left them with parting words of encouragement that they will find a way to kill this monster and put a stop to the leader of the rebellions.

The food was already set out when Atem lead him to the private pound in his chambers. The food was set in elaborately decorated silver bowls and platters, filled with deliciously looking fruits and vegetables, and platters filled with meats, and gold goblets filled with wine and water. Fluffy cushions were laid comfortably around the food so you could eat while relaxing to the upmost possibility. "This gives new meaning to a kingly feast." Yugi said jokingly, making Atem smile.

"Its usually not this fancy, I believe the servants are trying to make a good impression on you and stay on your good side."

"Oh great, first the bowing and now servants trying to impress me. It's not funny!" Yugi told Atem as he was unsuccessfully trying to hide his smile and the laughter. "You may be used to this kind of treatment but I'm not, having fans is one thing but having people bow to you is completely different." Yugi stretched out and popped a few grapes into his mouth.

"Tell me about your life now, how is Joey and the others doing?"

"Well," Yugi took a second to collect his thoughts before he told them about their friends, "Joey and Mie are dating and are the undefeated champs in team dueling, same with Tristen and Serenity except there making it big in Dungun Dice Monsters. Let's see, Tea is a big time dancer in America and Seto opened a duelist academy that teaches children to become great duelists. They've all been doing great at the last time I heard."

"And you?"

"Just fine, I'm still the undefeated King of Games and I test some of the new inventions for Kiaba's company, and Gramps loves all the costumers he has in his shop now."

"You said last time you heard, are you and the gang not seeing much of each other anymore?" The sadness crossed back over Yugis face and he shifted uncomfortably, "Yugi did something happen?"

Yugi shifted sitting up he looked out toward the pound not looking at Atem. "Well, yes and no. I still love dueling and it's fun to test out Kiaba's inventions, but… I feel like I'm standing still. Tea and the others are moving forward in the things they are doing and I feel like I'm just stuck in the same endless loop and I can't find my path out." Yugi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Atem new that this was part of the problem but not the whole thing, there was something, and he bet it had something to do with the scar on his chest.

They ate the rest of their dinner with the mild chit chat careful not to bring up the problems the other was facing. Until a new problem arised, Yugis sleeping arrangements.

"You'll be staying in my chambers, there's plenty of room in that behemoth of a bed that they brought for me. Normally you would be given your own chambers, but dew to all these attacks my palace is filled with refugees and more appear every day. I hope this doesn't bother you."

"You're asking the person you shared a body and a mind with for years if this would bother me." Yugi gave him a look that said 'Really?', but in truth he was a little nervous to share a bed with him, especially after the reaction he had when Atem helped fix his earring, making a blush appear at the reemerging thoughts. Though he was positive that he was the only one that was having tingly feelings for his friend, unknown to him he wasn't, as thoughts similar to Yugi's were running through Atem's mind as well. Awkwardly they climbed into opposite sides of the bead.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

Something shifted slightly awaking Atem, the wind was blowing the clear curtains open letting the beautiful silver of the moon light pool on his bed. Something shifted again, sitting up he remembered he was sharing his bed with someone. Yugi was lying beside him, the silver of the moon turning his pale skin to white marble almost. Atem stared at him in the dark, the way his skin clung to Yugis muscles and the graceful curve of his shoulder blade. Thoughts of reaching out and running his hands along the smooth skin ran enticingly across his mind, Yugi shifted again and rolled over, now facing him. But the look on Yugis dreaming face was not of peaceful dreams but of terror and fear.

"Yugi." Atem reached out to wake him when Yugi shot up, shaking, breathing hard, eyes wide with fear. "Yugi?" Looking at Atem relief crossed Yugis face, unexpectedly he leaned his head on Atem bear chest. Knowing he needed to be quiet to help ease Yugi out of what ever had terrified him Atem wrapped his strong, tan arms around him and hold him close offering any comfort he could.

Slowly Yugis breathing returned to normal and the shaking stopped, but still Atem didn't let go. Finally Yugi let out a breath and his shoulders relaxed, pulling back Yugi muttered an apology and laid back down with an arm thrown over his eyes hiding a portion of his face.

"Yugi, what's wrong, what happened?"

"It's funny, I've fought so many Shadow Games with you and I've never had recurring dreams about them, but I get shot once and I have dreams for months after the incident even when I'm five thousand years in the past." Yugis voice held morbid humor along with a sadness.

"You were shot!? What happened Yugi, tell me, let me help." Atem said softy.

Yugi breathed again, "I almost came to see you in a much more natural way that day. It happened because of a crazed duelist. He was in one of the tournaments and Joey and everyone came to watch. The duelist had made it to the finals and he was a good duelist until I figured out he was cheating to win the duels. He wasn't happy to be found out, and now his reputation of being a top duelist was ruined, so he went for revenge." Yugi shivered as he remembered everything so clearly as the day it happened.

"The duelists name was Devro Talest. He had made it through to the finals by cheating, and when I exposed him he was disqualified and the duelist he had beaten were permitted to a re-duel and I dueled the winner from those. But I had ruined his reputation and he wanted payback, he kidnapped Joey, Tristen, Tea and Serenity. He called me telling me where he was and what he planned to do if I didn't come or if I told the police." Yugi tried to suppress a shudder as it ran threw his body. "It was night and a storm was heading our way and the place he held them, down by the shipping yard, was going to get hit hard. I ran, I remember it was already crazily windy, when I finally got to the place it had begun to rain. When I entered the abandoned store house two of his minions attacked me from above. I was hit in the head and forced onto the ground and they tied my hands behind me. They dragged me closer to the center and as my vision started to clear up I heard the gang call out. They were tied up like me, I called out to them and asked them if they were ok, they said they were and they were gonna beat the hell out of the creep who did this. It was so like Joey to say that and for Tristen to agree. That's when Devro stepped out from the shadows."

"Ah how touching, your all ready to beat us up, to bad your all tied up and defenseless." He sneered. I told him that he had me, and to let the others go now. He did but only two of them, he let Tristen and Joey go and to them if they went to the cops then the girls were gonna have some scars that nothing could erase, and to make sure that it happened the way he wanted he sent his cronies with them. I tried to get him to let the girls go but he refused, he wanted his revenge and was going to make sure that he got to enjoy it. Him and another of his followers spent at least a good hour ganging up on me, telling me that the only way it would stop is if I admitted I was wrong and he wasn't cheating, I wouldn't. It got to the point that Serenity was crying and she called out begging them to stop, that's when Tristen and Joey came back and ambushed Devro and his friends.

"I told you not to interfere, now you'll pay the price!" Devro yelled and he was about to shoot Serenity but instead I jumped in front of her, I wasn't going to allow her to get hurt because this psychopath wanted revenge on me. The others saw what happened and in there worried for me Devro slipped away, I was in a lot of pain fading in and out, the guys relised the girls and Tea called for an ambulance but because of the storm it took them longer to find us. When they did I had lost a lot of blood and passed out a while ago, they got me to the hospital and I was patched up, the others only got a few scratches and cuts thankfully. But the police never did find Devro and I haven't been able to play a proper game of duel monsters since, and the gang didn't really talk to me much after that. I don't blame them I almost got Serenity killed, I know they don't blame me but I also know that it's hard for them to be around me." Yugi kept his eyes closed, fighting off the memories and feelings, as he waited for everything he just told Atem to sink in.

"Yugi I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you threw that." Atem said in a soft voice that brought tears to Yugis eyes. He rolled over on his side away from Atem, hiding his face. A second later he was pulled up into a fierce hug, the feel of Atem's strong arms made Yugi feel safe and warm and protected even from his own memories, the tears came, hot and fast.

Atem couldn't bear to see Yugi crying so hard, and in an effort to make them stop impulsively he kissed Yugi hard and comforting. Surprised he felt Yugi's breathing hitch, Atem pulled back, Yugis tears had stopped falling and a deep red blush covered his cheeks. Carefully Atem brushed the remaining tears away before leaning in to kiss Yugi again, this time he was less surprised and after a second he relaxed into the kiss, which allowed Atem to deepen it from gentle and comforting to gentle and tinged with passion. Atem let his tongue trail crossed Yugis lips asking for entrance, he allowed that easily enough but he didn't give up his dominance as easily, but Atem was much more assertive and forceful then Yugi and he eventually won. He let his tongue explore Yugis mouth and their tongues touch and dance around each other's, it was exhilarating and sent electric shocks threw his body. He drew back and was pleased to see both of them were panting hard.

"I'll help ease those painful memories." Atem promised and kissed the scar on Yugis chest, snaking his arms around Yugis waist holding him close so he could chase away the memories with his body heat.

When Yugi woke he found himself alone in the bed he shared with Atem, as he sat up the memories from the night before returned and turned his pale skin red with embarrassment. He wondered if what happened last night was a dream or was it real, a part of him hoped it wasn't so he didn't make it awkward between the two of them, but a bigger part wanted-no- craved for it to be real. He walked over to were the cushions and platters of food were laid out, sitting there looking over a small stack of paper was Atem he seemed completely lost in his reading. Yugi stared and quietly admired him, even just sitting there he admitted an air of complete confidence and authority, and held himself with pride befitting a Pharaoh. Almost lazily Atem rolled a grape between his long capable tan fingers before popping it into his mouth, the same mouth that had kissed him with gentle ness and passion as much as comfort, or Yugi thinks he had.

Almost sensing the gaze Atem looked up to find Yugi standing in the curtained doorway, dressed in the gold jewelry that showed off his skin so well. It was darker than before Atem noted absently, as Yugi sat next to him with a quiet 'morning'. He was nervous, Atem thought and smiled softly as he returned the 'morning'.

"So, what is that anyway, can you really read that?" Yugi leaned closer as he tried to understand the hieroglyphs written on the paper.

"It's an account of trading with other countries and villages, and yes I can read it quiet clearly, I wouldn't be much of a Pharaoh if I couldn't."

"That's true it's just a bunch of meaningless pictures to me."

"I could teach you if you want."

"Really!" Yugi asked excitedly.

Atem smiled, "Of course I'd be happy to, on one condition."

Yugi frowned "what condi-" he was cut off effectively by a surprise kiss from Atem. It was just a small quick peck on the lips but it still made Yugi blush madly.

"That you don't try to think that last night was a dream of yours." Atem smiled seductively close to Yugis face. Yugi could only nod in response.

The next few days passed peacefully, Atem spent a lot of his free time teaching Yugi to read ancient Egyptian and small amounts of that time kissing, Atem was amazed at how fast Yugi was learning to read. The times he had to deal with his kingly duties Yugi spent time learning as much as he could about Dansike the Destroyer and his followers, their leader going only by Tal, by reading threw reports and books, getting help when he couldn't read a passage. As the days went by Yugis skin became darker and the memories faded a little more every day, but the time of peace always comes to an end at some point, and theirs came by the mouth of a wounded refugee of recently attacked village.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

It had been two weeks since Yugi had shone up out of nowhere, he could read ancient Egyptian as easily as he could read English now and his skin was nearly as dark as Atem's and they had become even harder to tell apart, if it wasn't for the fact that only the Pharaoh wore the Millennium Puzzle there would be no difference between to the two. It seemed that the whole palace knew that they were periodically sneaking off together and it had become a rumor that they were in love. It was true but they denied that it was. Now Yugi was perched on the arm rest of Atem's throne as he overheard the report of a village being attacked.

"We were told the head villager was given a message to give to you. But the villager was in such a dire state of health we thought it be best if we took him to Isis first for healing before he came to see you." Seto said as he finished his account of what had happened.

"Yes, your decision was a good one, tell me as soon as he is able to speak."

"He can speak now my king, and he tells me it's urgent that he tell you the message." Isis said from across the room, behind her was a guard supporting an older man.

The older man was heavily injured and obviously exhausted, "My king forgive me for not kneeling before you."

"It is quiet alright, Yugi will you bring this man some water." Yugi nodded and offered a silver goblet filled with cool clean water to the man. He tried to take it but was very weak, Yugi took the struggling man's hand and wrapped it around the cup and guided it to the man's lips.

"Thank you, young man." He released the goblet and Yugi returned to his spot on the arm rest. "My king, my village was destroyed and I thank you that you offer us a place under your own roof, but I have brought you a message from the one that calls himself Tal. He says that if you don't follow his demands, that he will destroy the next three villages all in one night and this time there will be no survivors." Gasps filled the room at the man's statement, " He demands that by midday tomorrow you meet him in the valley of the kings, alone and without your summoning disk, and if you don't he guarantees that by the next morning there will be three destroyed villages without one survivor."

Quiet filled the room after the man finished speaking, "Guard return this man to the healing room he needs rest." The guard did a slight bow before retreating with the old man, silence filled the room again. Yugi knew exactly what Atem's reaction would be, he would agree to Tal's demands and meet him alone, and just how he knew what Atem's reaction would be he knew what he needed to do.

"I have decided, I will travel to the Valley of the Kings tomorrow, I will not allow three villages to be destroyed."

"You can't! What will we do if he captures you or worse." The gramps look alike spoke up, there was agreements all around.

"Enough, I will not change my mind. This is my decision, but just in case he does not keep to his bargain send word to the villages and have them evacuate immediately." There was more arguments to try and convince Atem to reconsider, but Yugi knew he would go, unless someone stopped him.

Seto, felt the intense stare that said look at me, the Pharaoh was staring at him, no, it was Yugi, he was sitting with arms crossed on the arm rest of the throne. As soon as Yugi knew he had Seto's attention he made a small but clear jester with his chin at the door that led to a hallway that was hardly used. The message was clear but, why did Yugi want to meet him secretly, the only way to find out was to meet him.

After an hour of the fighting no one had been able to persuade Atem to reconsider his plan, and the room continued with normal proceedings. Yugi noticed that Seto had slipped into the hallway, he let his hand land on Atem's shoulder, nodded to him before leaving to enter the hallway form a different direction.

Seto was waiting for him, Yugi leaned against the railing.

"What was the reason you wanted to see me alone?" Seto demanded.

"Quick to the point as always." Yugi shook his head in amusement "Listen you know as well as I do that Atem won't change his mind about going to this meeting."

"No he won't what's your point?"

"The only way to keep him safe is to keep him here, and the only way to do that is to force him stay."

"And you have a plan to do that! How?"

"That's the easy part and you don't need to know about that. But like Atem I don't want to see three villages completely destroyed, so the only way for that to happen is if the Pharaoh goes to the meeting."

"But you just said that you were going to make him stay, how can he do both?"

"He can't, but I can."

The surprise and realization crossed onto Seto's face as he realized Yugis plan, "You're going to take his place!"

"Yes, I am. Tomorrow I'll go to the Valley of the Kings, pretending to be Atem, it's by then you should have all the villagers evacuated. My ruse as the Pharaoh won't last long but if the gods are on our side then it will last long enough for you to translate the last of the text to defeat Dansike. But there's one thing that the real Pharaoh has that I don't."

"The Millennium puzzle."

Yugi nodded, " That's what I need your help in, it doesn't haft to be real gold as long as it looks like the real Item it should work just fine. Can you do it?"

Seto was quiet a moment, "I can. But, why did you ask for my help?"

"Because your decadent is very much like you and he's who I would of trusted to help me with this task."

That seemed to be enough of an answer for him, "Tomorrow early morning, I'll have a horse ready and the Item will be in a pack along with water skins and food. I hope you will succeed in this mission."

"I will, just make sure you use the time I give you wisely." And with that parting note they went their separate ways.

Yugi leaned up against the railings looking out across the sands of the dessert and at the moons silvery glow and the twinkling stars. Warm arms snaked around his waist and a warm chest heated his back.

"What are you looking at Yugi?" Atem asked quietly as if speaking loud would break the spell.

"Just the scenery, it's beautiful with the cool night breezes causing silent ripples in the water that's dotted with the silver shine of stars and the sands that are washed in the pale moon glow. So quiet yet filled with such beauty." The wind rustled the trees leaves. "It's strange, I grew up five thousand years from now and in a city, but in my heart I feel more connected with this place and time."

"Yugi, tomorrow after I leave I want you to lead Egypt until I am able to return." Atem spoke softly, putting up an act Yugi tried to convince him to not go. "I haft to go, so promise that you'll take care of my kingdom till I return and please promise you won't give up on me and try to rescue me."

"I promise, but only if you make the same and promise that you'll come back."

"It's a promise, and I don't go back on my promises." Atem turned Yugi to face him so he could kiss him deeply. The force of the passion made Yugi lean back bracing his hands on the railing, there tongues danced and Atem bit Yugis lower lip lightly making him let out an enticing noise. Pulling back Atem traced kissed down his neck and across his throat, Yugi let his head fall back letting Atem have more access. He felt himself heating up especially when Atem kissed and nibbled at the soft spot between his neck and shoulder. Yugi bent his head and nibbled at Atem's sensitive ears, getting a groan of deep pleasure out of him, which caused him to travel lower, trailing his tongue down and across his chest. Stopping to suck at the raised nipples, Atem let his tong draw circles around and around in a tourcherous sensual rhythm, making Yugi groan. Wanting more access he pulled Atem's face up and kissed him hard and long.

Panting with want and need Yugi backed him into the bedroom, they were both hard and they wanted to be one before they had to separate. Yugi kissed him and began to push him back into the bed but before he relised Atem had flipped him and pushed him into the softness of the bed as the skin of their chest slid cross each other, sharing their body heat.

Atem was wet and so was Yugi, they were both on the edge, coating his fingers in there wetness he slid a finger into Yugi. Yugi shivered at the penetration, wrapping his arms around Atem he pulled him down hard for a kiss, causing there members to grind roughly against each other. They both moaned into each other and Atem ground them together again and inserting another finger into Yugi quickening the preparation. Yugis voice came out at the second penetration, and it almost sent Atem over the edge.

"A-Atem, I can't." Yugi said weakly, it was the final straw and Atem entered him, Yugi cried out from the mixture of pleasure and pain. Atem started slowly and only went faster when he found Yugis sweet spot, speeding up he repeatedly hit that spot until they both were about to release. Yugis finger dug into Atem's arms hard enough to leave marks just when they both released at once, leaving both collapsed from the exhaustion, and breathing hard.

Relising this could possibly be the last time they saw one another they slept closer than usual in each other's arms. "Yugi, I might not get a chance to say this, but I've fallen in love with you."

"I know, so have I." with them both wrapped safely in the other's arms of the one they love they drifted off to a peaceful sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

Yugi first sensed the movement before he actually heard it, opening one eye he watched as Atem dressed. Yugi figured Atem would try to slip away in the quiet of pre-dawn, quietly Yugi dressed as well.

"Yugi, what are you doing up, you should still be sleeping."

"Do you really believe you could slip away unnoticed that easily?" Yugi looked into Atem's eyes careful to keep his face very neutral.

"I had hoped, but I'm not too surprised." He placed his hand on the top of Yugis head pulling their foreheads close together. Closing his eyes he breathe Yugis scent in, trying to ingrain it into his memory. "Remember to take care of my kingdom till I return, I've already informed the priest of my decision and they have agreed."

"Atem, wait you shouldn't go, it's to danger-" Yugis words were cut off by a kiss, their tongues danced and they relished the moment.

Atem spoke again more quietly now, the rising sun began to pear threw the night and cast its pale glow into their room. "Yugi this is good –buy , take care of Egypt."

"No, you can take watch over it. I'm sorry." Yugis voice held every bit of determination that he held. Grinding his teeth, he made a fist and put as much force as he could into the punch to Atem's solar plexus, the weakest point in the body.

"Yugi- what…" Atem collapsed forward into Yugi, with as hard as he had hit him he would be out for a few hours at the least. Positioning an arm over Yugis shoulder he carried Atem back to the bed where he laid him down. Before Yugi left he added a few more gold amulets around his ankles and across his chest, making him appear as Phoaraohly as possible. Turning he looked at his lover, he was so peaceful in sleep like everything in the world couldn't wake him at that moment, carefully he left a kiss on Atem's forehead before going to the stables.

Seto looked around impatiently, waiting for Yugi to show, the sun had already began to rise and if he didn't leave soon he wouldn't make it in time.

"Seto, it's done. The Pharaoh should be asleep for at least a few more hours." The voice was Yugis but the appearance was of the Pharaohs, Yugi had dressed in all the finery that a Pharaoh would wear.

"You look the part, the things you asked for are in the packs." Seto handed the reins of a light tan horse over to Yugi, he absently stroked the horses head before pulling the counter fit Meleinuem Puzzle out and over his head. With that his disguise was complete, mounting he took up the reins.

"Seto thank you for the help, pass this note on to Atem when he wakes up and remind him he must trust that I will come back, and to use this time wisely to defeat Dansike." He turned the horse in the direction out of the palace and galloped out.

Atem took a deep startled breath as he shot straight up in his bead, he rubbed his sore stomach as he tried to collect his mutteled and stray thoughts. It was hard for him to breath, and were was Yugi he didn't usually awake before him. Recollection slammed into him, Yugi had knocked him unconscious and left to meet Tal in his place, panic coursed threw him when there was a knock at his chambers door. Taking a calming breath he called for them to enter, it was Seto.

"My Pharaoh, I take it by now that you have relised what Yugi has done."

"Yes, I have and we must stop him."

"I'm afraid that's not possible my king, he has already passed beyond our reach and besides he asked me to tell you that you need to have faith in him and to use the time he can afford wisely, and also to give you this." Seto healed out a small roll of paper, Atem took it but did not open it.

"But he will not be able to fool them, he did not take the Puzzle with him."

Seto stayed silent for a moment, contemplating if he should tell the Pharaoh of his involvement or not. Finally he decided that it would be best if he knew everything. "He does have the Puzzle, not the real one obviously but a fake one that I made for him after he told me of his plans to take your place. Yugi was just as stubborn as you, he would not change his mind about his plans and I thought it would be safer for him if I helped him." Seto watched as anger then sadness and acceptance crossed the Pharaohs face one at a time.

"You're right, he wouldn't have changed his mind even if you didn't help him. Thank you for trying your best to keep him safe." He walked over to the window and looked out over the endless sand, and he could of swore on the horizon he saw someone on horseback looking back at the palace. It was Yugi. He couldn't see any detail to confirmed it but he knew in his heart that the distant figure was him.

Yugi took one last look at the place in his heart he called home, it was nothing more than a distant view only a small blip in the sand. This might have possibly been the last time he ever saw the place, determined he carried on toward the Valley of Kings. It wasn't long before he noticed two people following behind him, most likely to make sure he had come alone. It didn't surprise Yugi one bit that the enemy had made their camp in and around Atem's own tomb, Yugi dismounted the horse took a long drink of water before continuing on foot.

People surrounded him on both sides, whispers and comments reached his ears, some were surprised he had come and followed their leaders orders and some were anticipating what would be done to him.

"I'm here just as your leader asked now I expect he'll keep his end of the bargain." Yugi spoke out carefully mimicking the way Atem spoke to his people, with authority.

The man he spoke to laughed "You're a fool to think that such an unworthy creature as yourself would be offered a bargain, restrain him!" Yugi's arms were grabbed from behind, he struggled to free himself but he was too outnumbered, they muscled him into the ground painfully grinding the scorching sand into his skin. They cruelly forced his arms behind him and bound them tightly in a frayed rope that burned when they slid it across his skin fast enough. Forcing him forward they marched him into Atem's tomb, when they reached an inner sanctum they shoved him forward and with his arms behind him he was unable to keep his balance and crashed to the floor hard.

A hand shot out grabbing a fist full of hair and pulled him upwards by it, "So this is the all mighty king of Egypt, how very humiliating for you to be forced to kneel before someone you consider below you." Though Yugi wasn't the king he still had his pride and it did make him disgusted to be so helpless before this guy. Craning his neck so he could see the leader he was disappointed to see that the man wore a black cloak and a whit mask over his face, completely covering his features.

"You said you wouldn't hurt those villages are you intending to go back on your promise?" Yugi demanded.

"I made no such promise. I only said that the villages would be completely destroyed by tonight, well maybe I'll let a few of the villagers escape death, as a reward for you coming here." Yugi wasn't surprised that they had gone back on their word, and it made him all the more glad that he had taken Atem's place. "Now let's get down to business, where's the book the contains Dansike's secrets?"

That's what they were after! It all made since now, they must of somehow gotten word that they had the book and were deciphering it as quickly as they could. Now all Yugi had to do was buy them enough time to finish deciphering and form a battle plan, so he stayed silent.

"No answer then. Can't say I'm too surprised, but maybe some persuasion could loosen that tongue of yours."

The "persuasion" came in the form of a swift kick to his ribs, Yugi could feel all the air leave his lungs with a quick whoosh, three more kicks came after that. "So are you ready to answer now?" Tal asked again. Yugi just stared with a rather passive expression. "That's just fine with me, I'd rather see you suffer for a while more. Chain him to the wall, and then we can all play a game of Beatings." He was smiling, Yugi couldn't see it but he heard and felt it, as they chained him against the wall of the cave, and the pain began.

Yugi was thrown onto the cool stone ground of the Tomb, the cool felt good on his throbbing aches and pains, he had no idea how long the beating had go on, an hour, five, a whole day? Yugi was just glad to have his brief reprieve, he curled up trying to not cry out at the severe pain that the movement had caused him, he was positive he had a few broken bones. Yugi let his eyes close for a moment before shivering from the cold, he guessed his third guess had been the closest at least haft the day had passed by, and the cool night had fallen. A scratchy blanket smelling of camel was thrown on him making him clench his teeth on the ripples of pain it had brought, he was determined not to make a sound. As he curled up tighter trying to conserve what heat he could his mind wandered back to the palace and Atem.

Atem tossed and turned, his bead felt too big too cold without Yugi there to share it with him. Finally giving up on the idea of sleep Atem walked over to the pound and sat, looking out on the reflecting surface, it was so clear it was as if he was looking at the night sky itself. His thoughts turned to Yugi, he rubbed his stomach it still hurt a little but what hurt the most was the knowledge that Yugi loved him enough to take his place, it reminded him of the time when they shared a body and Atem's evil side had controlled him and he played the Seal of Oricalcos and lost the duel. Yugi had taken his place then as well, even though he had deserved to be locked away Yugi still took his place.

Atem thought of the note Yugi had left him, he had opened it earlier that evening and found it to be comforting and saddening. Yugi gave him his promise that he would return, but should it happen that the next time they meant and Yugi was not on Atem's side then not to hesitate in taking him down. That he would rather be dead than under a mad man's control.

Atem wished he could see Yugi. In response to his wish the Puzzle began to glow with its power and in the still water a picture began to form, it was of Yugi but the sight Atem saw made him wish he never saw it. Yugi was lying there on bare ground pale as a ghost with cuts and bruises forming all over his body and a trickle of blood running from his forehead down his face. As if sensing that Atem was watching him Yugi opened his eyes. Yugi slowly sat up holding back grunts of pain, Atem noticed that the grace in Yugis movements was gone and that meant he was hurt badly on the inside, but something that eased his heart was the look in Yugis eyes, it was of complete defiance of his captors. Yugi looked straight at Atem until something caught his attention, a hand suddenly shot through the vision and wrapped it around Yugis neck. He was forced up and thrown back into the wall, "Are you ready to tell us were the book is at, or do you need more persuasion?" A voice asked angrily.

Yugi cracked a mocking smile, "What's wrong you a little annoyed that the villages you planned to destroy were empty, ahh how sad." The hand forced Yugi further into the wall and tightened its hold, constricting Yugi's air ways.

"If that's how you want to play it then fine, I needed a good outlet for my anger anyway." Yugi looked back at Atem and smiled before he did something that broke there connection. Yugi didn't want his loved one seeing something like this, so he severed whatever link that had formed in his mind with Atem, but thanks to that Atem now new they were after the ancient text, which meant he now had the upper hand for once.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

Three days had passed, Yugi had endured everything that his captors had thrown at him, his body was so damaged any movement was a world of hurt. There were burns under the frayed ropes that bound his hands, he had broken ribs, cuts and bruises most likely some internal as well, just moving was too much he wasn't even sure he could if he wanted to. Even with his sprit still ready to fight his body had started to give up, he had been given very little water and next to nothing of food, and without those things he could feel his body rapidly dying on him. Closing his eyes Yugi tried to conserve what little energy he had left, after only a few seconds of rest he heard the footsteps that had become so familiar to him in the last days as they tried to extract information from him. But to his surprise this time they rolled him over and held a water skin to his lips, Yugi drank greedily a his parched throat craved the cool liquid.

"We can't have you dying on us yet Pharaoh, we still have use for you." It was Tal's voice, after the water had run dry he was dropped back onto the ground. More footsteps approached, one of the followers was walking hastily toward Tal. "What news do you bring of Egypt, is it crumbling without its Pharaoh there to guide them."

The follower hesitated, "No sir, the exact opposite, there is no sign that the presence of the Pharaoh is missing unless a one of his strong followers has taken his place. It's strange it's like we don't even have their beloved Pharaoh captive but a complete stranger." Yugi watched as Tal froze then whipped around and yanked the fake puzzle from around his neck, he threw it against the wall and watched as it shattered into pieces of red clay and gold pint.

No one moved, Tal's anger was as quiet and deadly as a snake before it strikes, he turned almost as if he didn't care he had been tricked. His hand shot out grabbing yet again a first full of Yugi's hair. "We have an imposter, who are you?"

Yugi just smiled, "Someone smart enough to know that I could fool you, though you bought it longer than I expected, and by now Seto will have finished translating the ancient text and found the information he needed to stop both you and Dansike." Yugi was thrown down onto the floor, Tal kneeled and placed his hand on Yugis forehead.

"If you're not going to tell me who you are and what your relationship is with the Pharaoh and his priests then I'll just haft to take a look for myself." Tal closed his eyes, almost like he was praying, dark lines of a deep purple appeared on his body all focus on the center of his forehead. Yugi was speechless even more when he could feel Tal clawing into his mind forcing his way into his memories, Yugi tried to resist but it was too much and without the power of the real puzzle and of Atem help he was unable to stop it. The process was painful and it drained even more of Yugi's strength as he tried to stop the invasion, he tried to stop Tal from seeing his past with Atem. Yugi watched with Tal as memories of when Yugi first put together the puzzle, all the battles they fought together with their friends, the battle when they had to separate, his time alone, and finally, his time here, the exact moment he decided to take Atem's place without Atem knowing and the night before he came to become Tal's captive.

At the end Tal finally realized Yugi's relationship with Atem, he also felt the moment that Tal understood there connection and his evil plan started forming in his mind.

"Stop it, stay out of my mind!" Yugi protested.

Tal chuckled, "Not a chance." He stood pulling Yugi with him, dragging him all the way out into the main camp before dropping him to the ground again. "My followers, we have been the victims of a double ganger, this man is not the Pharaoh." The crowd shouted and jeered their anger. "Calm my followers, he may not have been the Pharaoh himself but he is as important to the Pharaoh as the Pharaohs kingdom is, for this man here before us is Yugi Mouto the great Pharaoh's lover, and with this knowledge he has become even more useful to us than the ancient text itself!" There were excited whispers and yells as Tal made a motion with his chin and two men pulled Yugi to his feet and practically held him up because he didn't have the strength to stand. They untied the ropes holding his hands reviling the bloody and raw skin beneath, Tal placed his hand on Yugis head again and the purple lines appeared once more. A sinister smile curved Tal's lips as he once again clawed his way into Yugi's mind this time all the way to the core, Yugi knew what was coming and he fiercely fought the hold Tal had on him but he didn't have the strength, and Tal won. "With this I banish you to the shadow realm!"

Atem's head snapped up as something snapped in the back of his mind, it was Yugi, he wasn't there anymore. Even though they no longer shared a body he could still feel Yugi in the back of his mind but know he was gone just disappeared and there was no presence there anymore. Atem was Just about ready to go and look for him when a knock came on his door, it was Seto.

He kneeled, " We have deciphered the remaining text, and found the weakness to this monstrosity plaguing our kingdom."

"And, what is it?"

"It's an unusual amount of magical energy form the monsters such as the Dark Magician."

"How much energy?"

"It does not say specifically but it is a very large amount, possibly every spell caster monster and mortal alike might be required."

"I see, if that's what we must do to vanquish this evil then that's what we shall do, send word for every spell caster and those that can call upon spell caster monsters to gather at the palace immediately."

"Very well my king… my king?"

Seto's hesitation made Atem turn to look at him, he looked unusually worried. "What is it Seto?"

"Yugi, something's happened to Yugi hasn't it?" Atem was beyond surprised that Seto had picked upon something like this.

"Yes, something has happened to him, I can no longer feel his prescens in my mind, and that worries me. How did you know?"

"I'm not sure a little while ago it felt like something snapped in my mind and I just knew something had happened, I figured you would know if that were true considering how close the tow of you are." All Atem did was nod his head, "You love him don't you, it's been a rumor in the palace for a while but its true isn't it."

"Yes, I do, and I will get him back from this evil, that I swear on my life." Atem looked out from the balcony of his palace looking across at his beloved kingdom and he thought how everything looked less beautiful without Yugi there to help him see its beauty. He made an oath in his mind, that he would stop at nothing to get Yugi back, even if that meant he had to travel to the shadow realm.

Three more days had passed since Yugi's presence had disappeared and now everything was ready. Atem had gathered the top spell casters, the Dark Magician, Dark Magician girl, his friend Mana, Magician of Black Chaos, the Silent Magician, among several other spell casters. He had explained to the Dark Magician how the ritual was to go, they would stay off the battle field somewhere where they would be safe and still able to cast the spell, and everyone else would fight the battle with Tal and his followers.

Everything was ready, and everything was as peaceful as falling snow, Atem couldn't help but think it was the calm before the storm. Quietly he watched the wind quietly shift the water and disturbed the perfect reflection of the stars. He remembered that night how Yugi was gazing out at this very same scenery and how he thought it was so beautiful, but as Atem watched the same scenery with him he thought that what truly made this scene beautiful was at the way Yugi was amazed by it and that in turn amazed Atem. He missed Yugi, more than he first realized he would. The sun had started to come up, it was time for the final battle to start, and he was determined to win.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

The sound of the nervous horses and the clank of weapons and armor were the only things heard on the hill as the army waited for their enemy to approach. Atem could feel the relentless heat of the sun beat down on him, it was quiet all around, the proverbially quiet before the storm, a minuet passed feeling as if it was ten, then another and another until the sound of approaching hooves appeared, Atem turned to look at Seto who gave a nod before turning himself to the army of men behind him.

"Stand strong my comrades, for the enemy approaches. For we will not be the ones who fall but them, they who try to take our lands from us and threaten are family and friends. We will stand strong beside our Pharaoh and we WILL WIN!" Seto shout was met by more powerful shouts of the soldiers that were fighting with them.

The first man appeared on a black as midnight stallion, wearing a mask and black cape that covered his body, beside him was another man wandering a white mask and normal tan cape, astride a big white horse. Following the both of them was Tal's army, once they saw Atem and his soldiers they began to shot and jeer with all manner of insults. Atem decided it was time for a last ditch effort to stop the fight.

"Tal your army is great but it will fall by mine, for mine are loyal and have something to protect. We as leaders can protect them if you decided to turn away, no blood needs to be shed."

Tal chuckled and his reply was one word, "ATTACK!" and the battle began. Atem ordered Seto and the rest of his priest to call out there monsters and to try and place a sort of barricade around them. It worked for a while until Tal called forth his own monsters and forced the barricade to fall. But the time it had been up it had demolished a large part of Tal's army.

Tal sat quietly on his horse and watched the massacre play out, the man in the white mask was also staying quietly out of the fray. Working through the fray both Atem and Seto worked toward the masked men, when they finally reached their goal the fighting was almost at an end. The remaining enemy's called out to their leader for help, to call forth Dansike the Destroyer, but he didn't all he did was watch and stair out at the blood bath before him. A man appeared by his side and Tal leaned over to hear what his solider had to say, after a moment he looked Atems way, and though his face was covered he knew a smile was underneath the mask.

"My, my it seems your soldiers are very loyal and strong, for they have destroyed my army of rebels, but with their death a new and greater power will arise, and there's nothing you can do to stop it anymore."

"We can stop it , we found your reached creatures weakness and we will destroy it." Atem threw his hand out in defiance, silence followed his declaration.

"If that's so then we will just haft to stop you from signaling the start of the ritual, were ever it is." The gold shine drew Tal's attention down to the Puzzle the Pharaoh wore around his neck and it brought forth the idea to torcher the mind of the Pharaoh. "It must be so heartbreaking to know that you couldn't do a thing to stop the one you love from taking your place, I can't even imagine the pain we put him through, but he was loyal threw it all, well until the end." Tal took great pleasure in seeing the pain and anger in such magnitude that the Pharaoh never bothered to hide it, it was delicious.

"What have you done to Yugi, where is he? Tell me!" Atem shouted out, but only got a pleasured laugh in returned.

"It's time we end this battle but to do that we must stop you from signaling your Magicians. So my little puppet, kill him." At the command the man in the white mask jolted and dismounted the horse, Atem couldn't help notice the almost exhausted movements. The figure with drew a small dagger, no longer than a hands length, and even with his ungraceful movements he moved swiftly.

Atem barely duked in time and he didn't have time to avoid the second attack, "My king, look out!" Seto yelled as he swung his Millennium rod at the masked man. Atem watched as the rod struck home with such force the weak figure was flung to the ground, were the white mask cracked and fell.

"You useless puppet. Get up, OBEY your Master." The body jerked violently with the command that Tal had given. Atem watched as the figure painstakingly slowly rose from the ground in a way that had Atem wishing he would just stay down to rest and not push his obviously abused body. The thought of an abused body made Atem freeze with terror, next thing he knew he was being tackled to the ground by the same body he had embraced only a few nights ago.

Yugi had forced Atem to the ground, trapping him there with his weight, which was much lighter than it had been before. Atem looked into the vacant eyes, that saw but did not see or understand anything in front of him.

"Good my puppet, now, take your dagger and kill him." Tal said with a commanding voice, Atem watched as Yugi jerked and brought the hand containing the dagger up. Atem watched in sadness that his lover was forced to hurt someone he cared for again, he closed his eyes in acceptance and as the dagger descended one word left his lips in a longing, soothing caress, containing all his feelings and emotions.

"Yugi." A hairs breath from pricing skin, the tip of the dagger shakily hovered. Atem opened his eyes to see that Yugi's hand had stopped and was shaking violently from the strain of not finishing its descent. He looked in Yugi's eyes and saw flickers of his Yugi, fighting the hold over him with all the strength he didn't have.

"What are you doing, OBEY ME, and kill the Pharaoh!" Tal said outraged that his plan wasn't working as he had planned and amazed that the boy still had strength to fight back. No, he didn't have any strength left he was fighting back with sheer willpower.

Yugi violently jerked with the compulsion of Tal's commanded demanded him to follow, his hand lowered a fraction, cutting a shallow wound and drawing blood. The sight of the blood triggered something and Yugi fought harder than before, he would not allow someone he cared for to be harmed because of him again.

Atem could feel the small trickle of his blood and slight pain from the tip of the dagger, but nothing really registered in his mind. Both his body and mind were completely focused on Yugi, Atem laid completely still barley breathing afraid any big movement would break Yugis fight up and he would lose. More flickers of Yugi showed threw the control he was being put under.

"Kill him I demand you obey me." But the voice was no longer registering in Yugis mind he kept all his focus on the beautiful crimson eyes of his lover as he fought his way through the shadows covering his mind. Atem watch as the dagger slowly and shakily rose from his throat continuing to deny the voice in Yugis mind, which continued whispering to Yugi, to kill Atem_. _

_Kill him. Kill him. Kill hi- NO!_ Yugi grasped his head in pain. "NO! You will not break my control!" Tal's body began to glow with the stripes of purple as he tried to regain control of his puppet.

_No. No. No. NO! _Yugi pushed himself to his feet and staggered back a few steps, finally he dropped the dagger in his hands but the power from the stripes was crowding his mind again. He looked at Atem who was slowly sitting up, Atem watched as Yugi's body wracked with pain and effort to regain the control of his body and mind, Yugi pried open his eyes to look at Atem.

"Yugi! Fight it, you are stronger than the shadows. Remember everything you've been threw remember everything we went threw together, remember our bond." Atem pushed to his feet and stepped closer to Yugi who stepped back further in response.

"Don't listen to him my puppet, only listen to my voice and kill the Pharaoh!" Tal tried to override the effect Atem's voice was starting to have.

"Yugi, remember." Yugi squinted against the pain as he looked into Atems eyes "Remember Yugi, I love you." And everything froze. Yugi stared wide eyed then shut them again and grasping his head with both hands he forced his way through the remaining shadows with a defiant scream. Putting everything he had into it, he felt the shadows break and shatter into millions of pieces. Yugi's head and shoulders slumped forward so he was staring at the ground breathing heavily as he tried to focus his vision. He heard the outraged cries of Tal's, as he realized Yugi was no longer in his control, struggling he lifted his head and saw Atem's relived face staring back at him, Yugi gave a small exhausted smile.

"A-Atem." He spoke in his ragged voice before falling into the gentle in brace of the  
darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

"A-atem" Yugi whispered before his overly exhausted and abused body finally gave out on him. Surprised at the quick collapse Atem barley caught Yugi before he hit the ground. Atem looked down at Yugi, at this close rang Atem could see every bruise and cut and could feel the unhealthy lightness of his weight, he hugged close to him, not ever wanting to let go again. He hadn't noticed he had been holding Yugi tighter until Yugi let out a pitiful whimper from pain and shifted only to flinch at the pain that caused.

"It seems that we were lucky, Yugi cares so much for you even under someone's control he wouldn't lay a hand on you, even if it cost him his life." Seto said kneeling beside the two, he picked up something gold, broken and split, it was the earring that Atem had fixed that first day, that day that felt like a million years ago.

Seto's presence finally brought Atem back to the situation at hand, there was a battle going on and there enemy had been oddly quiet for too long. Glancing back he saw that Tal was amassing a large amount of power, and there was only one thing he could need all that power for, and that was to call forth Dansike the Destroyer.

"Quick Seto signal to the magicians, Dansike is about to make his entrance."

"That's right Pharaoh, Dansike will come and wreak havoc on your kingdom, and to make sure your pathetic magicians are unable to destroy him I'll merge my own body within his." The purple stripes began to spread, slowly engulfing his entire body, the mask he wore finally cracked and fell away reviling a melted and scared face. "No longer will I become the outcast of the kingdom, no, instead I will be the ruler of this new kingdom!"

"Your… mad." Yugi said quietly, barley auditable.

"Yugi!" Atem's surprise was obvious as Yugi tried to return to his feet, slowly Atem rose with him, steading and balancing him. Leaning heavily on his lover they both looked at their enemy, feeling the immense magical power amass behind them.

"It does not matter what you think of me, for I am no longer Tal but Dansike the Destroyer!" a flash of dark purple light emanated, and once where Tal had been standing was a dark light slowly designating into the sky. Thunder crashed and lighting flashed as Dansike began his resurrection into life, and when it was all said and done the monster that stood in front of them was as tall as an Egyptian god, with black claws and wings, an oozing purple smoke swirling down to form a body of purple mist and yellow eyes that craved destruction.

"I… I don't think just the power of the magicians will be able to stop him now, we might need the power of the Millennium Items to help seal him away, and possibly the gods to help weekend him." Yugi said looking at Dansike as he roared out loudly to the world that he had arrived.

"You might be right, but there's nothing we can't handle when we have each other." Atem smiled looking down at his weakened partner, Yugi smiled back relived to finally be back in those strong safe arms.

"The ritual is almost ready we must destroy him, we only have one shot." Seto said coming from behind them, followed by the other wielders of the Millennium Items. They nodded and together Yugi and Atem called forth the three Egyptian gods, the effort almost sent Yugi to his knees again, and he would have if not for Atem. Atem instructed the gods to distract and weaken Dansike as they waited for the ritual to finish.

"We need to combine our powers with that of the magicians to finish sealing this monster." Atem told his priest, nodding there understanding they followed Atems lead and began adding there powers to the ritual. Yugi watched as Slyfer wrapped his long body around the wings of Dansike only serving to enrage the beast further, he raised one of his darkly clawed hands and swiped it down word, straight toward them!

"Move!" Yugi yelled. The priests moved in time, but because Atem was also bearing his weight he was slower, he wasn't going to make it in time. Yugi quickly pushed him out of the way following closely enough behind to avoid a direct hit but the surrounding force flung Yugi several feet.

"Yugi!"

"I'm fine, finish the ritual!" Yugi tried to force himself up once again, only to fail and fall back to the ground.

Atem knew Yugi was right he had to finish the ritual, if he didn't there would be no second chance, pushing everything else out of his mind, he focused on the ritual only. When the power was finally at its max he spoke the ancient words, "I am Atem, Pharaoh of Egypt, and I demand that the powers that lie in the realms of the gods aid me to seal this darkness." The ground shook as a large stone tablet rose from somewhere in the ground "I call upon these powers of gods, humans and monsters alike, to aid me in sealing" he opened his eyes and with it the power that had been coursing around him was set free to swirl around and begin to drag Dansike into the tablet. "Now I command you to SEAL!" there was an enraged shrike as the last bits of Dansike was dragged into whatever portal that allowed creatures to be sealed inside the tables.

As things began to calm it was interrupted but an earth tearing crack, as the tabled began to crumble to nothing but dust and with its demise also came the demise of Dansike the Destroyer. The soldiers began to yell and cheer with cries of victory, there enemy was no more and that meant there home was safe.

"My King!" Seto yelled distressed. Turning he saw what was making Seto so panicked, it was Yugi he wasn't moving and he was barely breathing.

"YUGI!"

The darkness was so comforting, but it was lacking something, or maybe he thought something was missing. It was lacking a certain warmth, a warmth that warmed not only the body but the heart and soul, but what was it, or who? Yugi didn't have an answer, no he didn't even know for sure if it was really missing or just his imagination.

_Yugi…. _

The voice was soft and gentle as a lovers caress. Lover? Did he have someone he loved, or was he all alone like he had been before.

_Yugi…come back to me._

It was the voice again, it wanted him to go to him, but then he would haft to leave the comforting embrace of the darkness, no that was too much to ask, he liked the darkness and was content to stay there… but still. There was something about that voice Yugi just couldn't ignore, it made him curious and as he got more curious he realized that the voice held a soft warm feeling, almost like Atem's…ATEM! The voice belonged to Atem, Yugi had to find him, he had to know if he was okay.

The light was dim as Yugi slowly opened his eyes and let them adjust, the room he was lying in was Atem's chambers. When did he come back here, and what happened? As he tried to recall a nagging thought in the back of his mind was demanding to be paid attention to, and when it finally was he wished he could of ignored it longer, as the sore and cramped muscles told him he had been lying still for too long along with other duller, aches. Slowly, very slowly he rose to a sitting position, he felt very weak, he thought about the cause, and the last three days slowly began to resurface in his mind, making him wish he could forget again. Forget all the pain, all the suffering, and his… _betrayal_. Yugi had almost taken Atem's life with his own hands, it scared him, was he always destined to cause pain to those he cared about?

"Yugi?" Atem whispered in his sleep, slumped over by the side of the bed. There was a pained and worried look on his face even in his sleep, and that made Yugi sad, careful he began to reach out, but hesitated, he no longer deserved to touch Atem's soft hair. Before he pulled his hand back, Atem twitched as if the thought had awoken him. Atem groggily woke up, looking up he saw Yugi and the next second he was crushing him in a hug. "Your awake, thank the gods, you're awake." Yugi had no words to say not even a complaint at the pain Atem's crushing hug was causing all he could do was sit there motionless even though he wanted to hug him back with the little strength he could muster. "Yugi, what's wrong?"

Yugi turned his head unable to look his beloved in the eyes, "I'm glad you're okay, even though…" he bit his lower lip hard and clenched a fist unable to finish his sentence. Closing his eyes Yugi fought back the tears, "I'm sorry. I almost killed you." Yugi said mostly to himself, he still couldn't believe what he had almost done.

"Yugi..." Atem looked at the sadness that began to consume his loved one, he reached out a hand to comfort him and reassure. "It's not your fault."

"Don't touch me! I- I can't, how can you forgive me so easily?" Yugi shook his head in denial as if the motion would erase the memories, Yugi looked down at his shaking hands. "I-I can still feel the knife in my hands as it almost cut into your throat. I could of killed you!" Yugi covered his face with his shaking hands hiding the tears that had begun to flow down his cheeks.

Slowly Atem wrapped his hands gently around Yugis shaking wrists, he pulled Yugis hands away, Yugi tried to resist but was still too weak and exhausted, and slowly his face was revealed. "Yugi," Atem spoke softly as if anything harsher would shatter the fragile boy in front of him, "I don't blame you, because you saved my life by taking my place as Tal's prisoner. I don't blame you because you spent days at the mercy of their torchers. I don't blame you because no one should have been able to go through what you did and still have the will to fight back the shadows when there mind had been banished. I don't blame you because you endured it all and continually fought back even went there body had been dying. I don't blame you because you did it all for me. I don't blame you because I love you and am glad that you are back in my arms where you belong. That's why I can forgive you." Yugi slowly looked up, to amazed that he was being forgiven just like that, it didn't make sense. But then again it didn't really makes sense that he was here in the afterlife with a five thousand year old spirit, but that didn't make it any less true or real.

Yugi was tired, of fighting, of blaming, of everything, except being loved by this man. He laid his forehead against the bare chest and just gave into everything. Into the pain, the fear, the sorrow, the safeness, the happiness, and most of the love he felt for Atem.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12(I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

It had been four nights since Yugi had woken up and found out he had been asleep for three days before that due to the dire state his body was in. But even the food, rest and healing he received none of it could stop the dreams of when he was still captured, helplessly tied up in that cave.

Yugi tossed over again now crowding right into Atem's chest and waking them both. Yugi sat up rubbing his eyes he mumbled a soft "Sorry."

Feeling helpless to do anything to keep his friend from the nightmares plaguing his mind, Atem wrapped his strong warm arms around Yugis chest pulling him into his. "Yugi its fine, there is nothing that either of us can do about the nightmares."

"Except maybe to avoid sleeping at night." Yugi laughed half-jokingly "The nightmares aren't as bad during the day."

"That can be arranged." Atem whispered quietly into Yugi's ear, putting a silky seductive sound into it, it made Yugi quiver with the thought. Gently Atem kissed the side of Yugis neck, finding the soft spot and nibbling at it. Yugi's shoulders began to drop as some of the tension left him and pleasure took over it, he leaned further back into Atem's chest. Rhythmically Atem let his tongue go in circles on the one spot applying more pressure every few circles, soon this process got a hum of pleasure from Yugi as he finally let go of the remaining tension and lost himself in Atems, feel and scent.

Sensing Yugis relaxment he moved up to below Yugis ear and thumbed his nipples, before once again starting in on the slow rhythmic circles. He sighed as he felt the arousal grow stronger in both of them, needing something a little more stimulating he pulled Yugi's chin back and kissed him full on the mouth, letting his tongue trace Yugis lips he asked gently for entrance. Yugi gave in rather easily but he still fought for dominance but as Atem fought for it as well he twisted Yugis nipples and rubbed his other hand over Yugis member. Forced to submit once again Yugi tangled his hands in Atems hair as their tongues entwined once again exploring, taking more time than they did last time to find those hidden unknown places, and tasting the sweet sensation that was the other.

Panting heavily they parted but being out of breath didn't stop Atem from tracing his tongue down Yugis neck and over his nipples. They were hard with the overwhelming arousal Atem was creating within his body, he sucked and circled over and over until they were raw and overly sensitive, so when he nipped at one Yugi arched up and let out a surprised yelp. "Your voice always sounds the best when it's surprised like this." To demonstrate Atem nipped one again making Yugi moan out in the pleasure, he could feel himself already rock hard and the wetness of pre-cum coating himself.

As if sensing the need, the desire he was feeling Atem removed their remaining clothing, reviling both of their hard members. Leaning down he brushed there members together grinding them and they both released a moan. Continuing from where he left off Atem retuned to playing with Yugis nipples, replacing his mouth with his hands as his tongue traveled lower, enjoying the feeling of Yugis hands sliding and entangling his hair. Atem trailed his tongue over the muscled plains of Yugis stomach dipping briefly into his bellybutton, he moved back up nipping as he went and grinding their hips together, Yugi let out a rather loud moan as Atem began to kiss him again.

A hand grasped Yugis member and began slowly pumping it, coating both his hand and member in the hot wetness, Yugi bucked his hips grinding them together again as Atem used his thumb to draw figure eights over and over the tip.

Felling as if he was about to come Atem rubbed Yugi's entrance, getting a small shiver from him and an even larger one and a small gasp of pain as he inserted a finger. Yugi was hot and wet inside, after preparing him he entered another finger then another, slowly stretching it wider, by the time the third finger had entered Yugi had begun to suck and squeeze his fingers in, the reaction making his own hard member twitch in anticipation. Yugi laid on his stomach and gripped one of the pillows as his body started shaking with the need to release. Leaning over, Atem kissed Yugis shoulder as he positioned himself and pushed in, Yugi's hand fisted in the pillow as he felt himself being penetrated not managing to suppress the cry of both pleasure and pain.

Atem let himself sit there panting in the desire but enjoying the sensation of being sucked in and held by Yugi. Slowly he rocked his hips but the intense pleasure almost made him loose it then and there but he managed to controlled himself. Yugi began to pant and the shaking had gotten worse, reaching around Atem began to rub Yugi's member as he began to thrust into him the other hand playing with his nipples. Atem pushed further and further into Yugi until Yugi's whole body jerked with a cry and he released but showed no signs of being done. But the feeling of Yugi's release had spiked his own urgent need to let go, he thrust hard into Yugi hitting that spot again making Yugi moan or cry out every time, he speed up his thrust feeling his own climax coming he went faster and with a last hard thrust he felt himself release and Yugi followed after for a second time.

They collapsed panting Yugi more than Atem, considering his health and stamina wasn't back to where it used to be yet. As if reassuring him that it wasn't a dream Atem pressed his nose into Yugi's hairline, drinking in the sweet scent of him, slowly he stroked his fingers down Yugis back, up down, up down, slowly working his way from the shoulder to Yugis spine. When he finally got to the spine he could feel Yugi shiver and arch his back, Atem had made a new discovery, Yugi was super sensitive when you stroked his spine. As to test his theory he did it again then again, over and over each time getting increased shivers or arching as the skin became even more sensitive to the touch, getting aroused once again Atem replaced the sensation of his cool fingers with the hot wet feeling of his tongue and breath. Surprised Yugi cried out at the completely new and arousing feeling, when Atem went to slide his tongue down Yugis spine again, instead of arching away he arched further into the feeling.

Atem liked the feeling that it was giving them, reaching around Atem traced the valleys and plains of the muscle on Yugis stomach, following the abs, tracing the V-shape of his hip bones, still further down he made a somewhat surprising discovery at the already very aroused Yugi. Atem hadn't planned on a second round… _but_ he couldn't just leave Yugi like that now, could he. Atem smiled and nipped at Yugis spine directly in the center, Yugi gasped and shivered as the little electric pin pricks Atem had been sending became a surprised lightning bolt. Pleased with the reaction Atem did it again this time little harder leaving a mark and earning a reward from Yugi in the form of a throaty, deeply aroused moan.

Considering they already had done it once Atem didn't need so long in preparations but he figured a little teasing wouldn't hurt. Nipping once again at his back Atem added a slow grind of his hips over Yugi's entrance, Yugi bucked back into him grinding them harder together, they did this a few times Atem increasing both his bites and grinding strength. Biting hard Yugi buck back expecting the hard grind but instead Atem had added his own thrust and penetrated Yugi, surprised he jolted his arms gripping the sheets at the sudden penetration and pleasure.

"Yugi…" Atem whispered in his ear with a strange combination of pleasure, lust, loving tenderness, and claim. Yugi was his and Atem was Yugis they knew it in their hearts, that this was the way.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 FINAL! + EPILOGE (I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

Yugi awoke feeling better than he had in days, thanks to the magical healing powers of Isis he had made a swift recovery, the bruises and cuts were gone and the cracked or broken ribs were almost completely healed. Carefully he stretched making sure that each rib didn't protest to much at the movement, examining his body Yugi noticed he had gained a few new scars from his time as Tal's captive, the most noticeable one was the scar that now crossed over the top of the one left when he had been shot. The new scar overlaying the one below, as if stating to the word that the past was over and done with and new adventures and pains were waiting ahead.

Atem wrapped an arm around his lovers waist happy just to lie there and drink in the peacefulness of that moment, but Atem knew there time was almost up, Yugi had begun to fade out of this realm. Atem tried not to dwell on the fact that he had his heart stolen by a person that was still living but it was hard.

"It's getting close to my time to leave again isn't it." Yugi stated as if he understood exactly what Atem had been thinking, in response Atem tightened his hold. Yugi feeling the sadness laid his hand on top of his and saw just how much he had faded out, he still wasn't sure what to do with his life, especially since he had found his heart completely taken over by the Pharaoh and his ancient land that was almost as much a home to him as it was to Atem. Yugi closed his eyes and asked the one question that had gotten him here in the first place, "What do I do now?"

"What can you do, the gods are returning you to your time. You were sent here to help aid us in defeating Dansike, but I believe you were also sent here so you could find your path."

"But what is my path, I love dueling and I love Egypt how can any of that possibly point me to the path I must take."

"What about unearthing the secrets of the Shadow games, when you first arrived you said that you were helping Professor Hockings, and when you talked about their work you seemed to enjoy it as much as you do dueling." Yugi had forgotten about that and he remembered he had really enjoyed it. "So maybe that's your path, you've learned to read and write in ancient hieroglyphics, you'd be the most accurate hieroglyphic translator in your time." Yugi smiled at the thought and looked back down at Atem lying beside him, something shifted on his ear, reaching up he felt the heavy gold earring. "Is to replace the one you lost, it matches mine." Atem added the last part almost shyly, the ones Atem usually wore were of the wings of Ra. Smiling he touched the earring again, Yugi felt comforted by its presence as if they would always have a connection traveling from both realms. Yugi felt confident he believed he would become an archeologist like his grandfather but the thought of leaving Atem was still almost enough to make him mad.

Atem could see what was going through Yugi's mind clearly through the look in his eyes and it pained Atem just as much, but he had to do what was right for Yugi, he didn't belong here he was still alive. "You must go and live your life Yugi, go make up with Joey and the rest bury the past and move on with your friends beside you, till it is your time to cross over the vial of life and death parentally. And when its time I will be the one to come and take you away from that life and bring you back here. I swear it by the gods." Atem pulled Yugi down to rest there foreheads together, Yugi was almost transparent now.

"You better not forget your promise." Yugi said as his voice began to shake.

"I won't." And for the last time until they met again Atem pulled Yugi down to him for a kiss, it wasn't passionate just a long sweet kiss filled with emotion and tears that had begun to slide down Yugis face. This kiss was so sweet and lovely he didn't want to stop, but Atem pulled away and watched as Yugi began to disappear in front of him, he planned to burn his image in his mind until the time they could meet again. "Goodbye."

A small smile, "Goodbye Atem, i love you." And he disappeared leaving only his memories and words behind.

Yugi woke up lying on the ground near the ruins, he was hot and sore, briefly Yugi wondered if everything he went threw was a dream concocted by the Egyptian sun and heat. But his droughts were quickly disproved when something weighed on his ear and when he went to stand and his left side protested strongly at the movement, Yugi had pulled up his shirt only to reveal the source of the pain, it was the second newly made scar over the one from the bullet. So nothing had been a dream, he was glad otherwise the pain of finding out that it was a dream would have killed him.

As both the new scar and Atem had stated he would live his life and move on from his past, patch things up with his friends and become an archeologists specializing in Egypt and he would unearth the most information on the Great Pharaoh and the Shadow Games as he could. Finally feeling lighter than he had in a long while Yugi turned to return to Professor Author and begin to take his first steps toward his new goals, until the day Atem and him met up again.

-14 YEARS LATER-

Yugi carefully used the brush to remove the dirt from the hieroglyphics on the wall he was translating, when a pair of booted feet stopped behind him.

"You've come a long way since you decided to become an Archeologist." Professor Hockings said from behind Yugi.

"Yes, it helps to keep busy, keeps the mind off less pleasant things." Yugi set the brush down as he translated the hieroglyphs into more modern writings then into English then back into the ancient writings so he had a multiple copies on paper.

"I can see that, you've been a new man ever since your grandfather asked me to take you with me to Egypt, and thanks to that expedition you've become one of the most famous of all archeologists and the most skilled at translating, I believe you still haven't made a mistake on anything you've translated."

Yugi laughed and turned to Author, he had grown old over the years but still insisted that he come on the expeditions, "It's hard to make a mistake when you learned to read the writings in the time they were used."

"True, true and it is rather funny to watch the others when they are angry with you because you correct them on their own mistaken translations. But of course if we told them the truth they would all think we were crazy, I know I certainly did."

Yugi laughed again at the memories of when he came back to the camp fourteen years ago and began to read the hieroglyphs as easy as he read English, it had amazed everyone and sported nonstop questions. Yugi had become so accustomed to reading the hieroglyphs in his time with Atem that he had forgotten that he wasn't supposed to know how to read them when he came back. "Yes, well I probably would have though myself crazy if I hadn't been through so many supernatural things when I shared a body with a five thousand year old Egyptian spirit." Yugi wiped the sweat from his brow as he took a long drink from his canteen empting one of the two he carried with him.

"Yes very true. It helped us that you were wearing that ancient earring that only Pharaohs wore." Absently Yugi's hand went up and rubbed the heavy gold earring, he never took it off. Sensing Yugi's mind had wondered back to those less pleasant things he tried to distract the young boy. " So how is your friend Joey, I heard he got married."

"About three years ago, and he had his first kid, according to Mie he cried more than her when he held their daughter in his arms for the first time."

"Ah yes, that amazing moment when you realized you've become a father, it's a wonderful thing. So Yugi any possible women going to make that happen?" They had joked about this many times and even though Yugi had never really said anything about his relationship with Atem, he suspected the Professor knew the truth along with his friends. As if wanting to save him from answering one of the younger men came running up to them.

"Professor Yugi, Professor Hockings, we finally found an entrance to the buildings below, you should come see for yourselves its quiet amazing, a whole palace right beneath our very own feet just waiting to be discovered." This man was younger than some of the others but he was one of the brightest minds, Yugi had taken the boy named Mahad under his wing and begun to teach the boy the way Atem had taught him to read and write hieroglyphs. Yugi stood brushing off the clinging dust, it still amazed him how much the boy was in looks to Atem's Mahad, grabbing his two water canteens he followed the young man.

The young man handed Yugi a gas lamp, he and Yugi along with two other young men, began to make the descent into the buried palace. Yugi instantly knew which room they had found first, it was the library and it still contained multiple piles of scrolls of knowledge. "You, go and fetch a team to start gathering the scrolls for translations, but be careful to wrap them up in a dark cloth, these parchments have not seen the sun in many years and we don't want to ruin the writings. The rest of us will explore further in."

"Further in, but Professor we don't know the way around this place what if we get lost?" the young man was worried.

"Do not worry, I know this palace like the back of my hand, but it's been a long while since I've walked these walls with my own two feet." Yugi began to walk further into the library.

"I don't understand, this place is at least three thousand years old, how could you have walked these halls?" Mahad asked.

"Its five thousand years old and because the Pharaoh who used to rule these lands and lived in this very same palace if my oldest and closets friend."

"What?"

"This room we are in, is the very same room that the Pharaoh taught me how to read and write hieroglyphs, the Pharaohs name was Atem."

"Like the name you were around your neck?"

"The very same one, a friend of mine bought the cartouche for him when he couldn't remember his memories and he was nothing more than a trapped spirit inside a puzzle."

"Then the rumors are true, you did have magical powers and you also possessed a Millennium Item, there were rumors of such but know one knew for sure."

"Not just one of the Items but at one point I had them all in my possession. It's a long story, one for a later time. Look here, the Pharaoh's thrown room, it still looks the same and if that's the case the side passage should be right around here." Yugi pushed aside the torn curtain that used to be made out of the finest silk. "This here is the chambers of the Pharaoh, there was once a pound surrounded by trees just outside the room, it was a beautiful sight during the night, it was so clear it was like a mirror of the stars." Yugis mind wondered back to those times, but they were swiftly interrupted by the sound of sand and a creaking noise, turning the door which they had just come threw was starting to collapse, thinking quickly he grabbed Mahad pulling him out of the way and yelled to the other to get help just as the sand and stone closed them in.

"Damn, nothing to do but wait for them to dig us out I'm afraid, at the very least I have time to tell you that story, if you still want to listen." Mahad nodded eagerly. "Alright, let's see. I first met the ancient pharaoh when I was fourteen, my grandfather found the Millennium puzzle a long while back but was always unable to piece it together and he dared me to try and put it together, thinking nothing of it I tried and to my surprise succeeded. From then on both the Pharaohs and my spirit shared one body, we shared it for four years and throughout those years we fought many shadow games and creatures of unimaginable strength and the whole time the sprite had no idea of who he really was, not even his own name." Yugi told Mahad the stories of dueling Pegasus, and Marik, of the great leviathan and the seal of Oricalcose. And about half way through Yugi had started feeling the effects of the heat, it was stronger in the enclosed space, to take their minds off of it Yugi continuing the story. "I'd vowed to help him discover his identity and when we did we were sucked into his memories. We helped him fight the evil that had made him such a famous pharaoh and after we had defeated it we returned to our world with only one thing left to do, and that was to finally let the Pharaohs sprit be put to rest. It was hard, I had to place the Millennium items in a tablet and then I had to fight my closet friend and greatest rival an win or he could not go home. It was the best duel of my life but in the end I won and was forced to say goodbye to my friend." As Yugi told the story they slowly began to lose focused and become more and more dehydrated as the heat began to continuously beat away at them, to take their minds off of it Yugi continued his story.

"After we were separated from one another I lost my way and was having trouble finding the path in my life, so my grandfather asked Professor Hockings to take me with him to Egypt. I helped them with their research and it took my mind off of things but not for long. One day I had decided to go for a walk when I found myself among some familiar ruins, the same place I had left my friend and it was there that I was pulled into the afterlife. I met with Atem again, helped him defeat the evil plaguing his kingdom, he taught me how to read and write, and he helped me find my path in life and this is where it has lead me."

Yugi finished the story and whipped his brow trying to cool himself down again, that's when he noticed Mahad breathing heavily and beginning to drop off.

"Mahad hold on!" Yugi laid the boy down and tried to get him to drink but the boys water was empty.

"I can't that's your water."

"Drink it stupid boy or you will die, I've already lived half my life you still have a long way to go so drink it." That argument was one of the last ones Yugi had ever made. By giving the boy his water he had surrendered his life, but it didn't bother him he knew that this is what was going to happen.

It didn't take long before the dehydration state began to set in, Yugi had begun to see double and his mouth was as dry as the sand that surrounded them.

_"Ironic the place I come for you is the place that you left." _The deep voice said, forcing open his eyes , a figure was standing before him, looking up Yugi could finally make out the beautiful crimson eyes he loved so much and longed to see. _"See, I promised you I would come for you when it was your time."_

"You took your sweet time didn't you, Atem." Yugi smiled as his body began to feel heavier, he recognized the feeling from when he was being held captive by Tal. "I'm dying again, but this time I think it'll be permanent, its more painful than I remember."

Atem looked a little sad _"I'm here to sit with you as you die then to take you back with me, if you still want to go."_

"Of course I do, I've waited too long to not go with you."

Atem smiled and held out a hand _"then let's go." _Yugi smiled and took his Atem, feeling his spirit lift from his body, he had returned to the age he was in the last time he went to the afterlife, his skin returned to the tan color it had back then and his closed changed with it. His arms covered in gold bands, a headdress and gold ankle braces.

"Let's go." Atem nodded and led Yugi back to the home in his heart, led by the one who owned his heart.

Yugis death was reported soon after, there were many that came to his funeral, and many that spoke about him, including his student Mahad. Mahad spoke of how Yugi had given up his own water knowing that he would most likely die without it, but he did it anyway so that he could live, he wished he could go back and do something different and maybe he would be here now, but something tells him that it was better this way. In the last moments of his life, Professor Yugi was speaking in a strange langue and smiling like he had never seen Professor Yugi smile like before. Mahad suspects it was someone he knew that had come to fetch him for the afterlife, because before he had stopped breathing Yugi had stretched out his hand as if grasping some else's. Mahad stated that Yugi had left to live with his friend the Great Pharaoh Atem.


	14. Chapter 14

(I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH)

Yugi was finally back where he belonged, beside the person he loved with his whole heart. Atem looked down at him and smiled as he handed Yugi a goblet filled with a clear liquid that contained a hint of red, it wasn't something he had seen before so he tentivly took a drink. It was good but had a strong taste that sent a chill throughout your body.

"Do you like it?" Atem asked, he had been overly attentive ever since he had brought him to the afterlife.

"Ya its good. What is it?"

"It's made from a special cactus that grows only every five years, we mostly use it for celebrations. It seems you have made an impression on everyone here including the servants so your returning was something to celebrate, and I can agree with them." Atem smiled and leaned a little closer to Yugi.

"It's good." Yugi repeated again, in a strange dream like voice. "hey, did I ever tell you how much I missed you."

Atem was surprised by the sudden honesty coming from Yugi, "No, you didn't."

He made a affirmative noise as he placed his goblet onto the ground, "Then I should probably tell you that one of the things I missed the most was your hands." He picked up one of Atems tanned hands and turned it this way and that before he started tracing the lines on his palm with a light feathery touch. "I really missed the feel of them going through my hair, so strong and warm but always gentle." Yugi placed Atem's hand on his head.

"Yugi, are you all right?" Atem asked, Yugi was acting weird and being strangely honest.

"Um hum, just fine." He pulled Atems hand down so it rested against his cheek which was overly warm. "I also missed your eyes, there so pretty and memorizing, just like the dessert at night." Atem blushed, Yugi was acting very, VERY strange, and all that honesty was starting to affect him.

"Yugi are you sure your all righ-" Atems eyes were wide, his question had been cut off by a surprise kiss from Yugi.

"Shhh, I told you I'm fine." Yugi giggled to himself with a glassy look in his eyes. Atem finally realized the cause of the sudden change in Yugi, he was drunk, completely drunk, off of half a cup of the drink.

Atem pushed himself up a little grabbing Yugi under the arms to keep him from sliding into his lap, "Aright up you go, it's time for you to sleep it off, no more cactus juice for you." Atem pulled Yugi to his feet and half walked half dragged Yugi to their bed.

Atem covered Yugi with a sheet when Yugis arms wrapped themselves around his neck keeping him from moving away. "Yugi, let go. You need to sleep."

"I'm not tired." Yugi almost pouted the words.

"Yes, but you need to-" he was cut off again by Yugis kiss, but this time it wasn't just a quick peck like before. It was a full blown kiss with hidden meanings behind it. Try as he might, Atem couldn't help himself feel the effects of the kiss and so did his body, he placed an arm next to Yugi to support his weight as he was pulled into the kiss. Something that shouldn't happen while Yugi was in this state was heading there fast.

Yugi traced Atems lips, asking for permission, curious as to what would happen if he allowed it Atem let him in, clumsy at first Yugi found his way around and before Atem realized he was the one feeling the effects strongly enough to make him hard.

Just when Atem was starting to have a hard time staying standing Yugi broke there kiss and using the arms still wrapped around Atem's neck, pulled him over and rolled onto the bed. For the first time in his life Atem was the one being pushed down not Yugi, it jolted a thrilled feeling within himself. Yugi face was red some from the cactus juice and some from the arousal he was feeling, remembering what Yugi had told him earlier Atem ran his hand threw Yugis hair, weaving his way through its colored mess, down to his neck and then down his spine. Yugi shivered, and kissed Atem again, but this time Atem wasn't going to allow him to be the dominate one, the force he used to say he was dominate made Yugi shiver at the feel and lean into the kiss and slid his hands threw Atems hair.

It was hot to hot, there tongues sliding together and entangling themselves in a frenzied passion, the feel of hungry fingers sliding into hair and across bodies was exhilarating and excrutating. Atem could feel his arousal growing painful, he raised his hips pressing it into Yugis belie, only serving to worsen the pressure and making him shiver. He slid his hand around Yugi's neck and pulled it to the side exposing the skin, almost hungry for the taste of it in his mouth Atem slid his tongue over it before sucking on it and sliding his hands up to fumble with Yugis nipples, Yugi arched his back and pressed his hips into his. Closing his eyes Atem slid farther down and sucked one of Yugis nipples, Yugi shivered and his hand traveled down to Atems member and slid along it, startling Atem.

"I want to do it tonight." Yugi slid down and took him in his mouth. The feel of being inside Yugis mouth was a whole different sensation, it was wet and hot and he could feel Yugis tongue slid along his member liking and sucking it.

"Yu..gi…" Atem let his head fall back as he enjoyed the sensation and could feel himself on the verge of release. He shivered at the thought. Yugi thrust his member further into his mouth almost wrapping his tongue around it, he pulled back and let his tongue lick and tease his tip before closing his mouth around it again. Atem could hardly take it anymore, he had to wonder when Yugi had become so good at teasing his desires out, he shivered and thrust his hips up in an attempt to release.

Yugi looked back up with a so aroused face Atem rubbed himself against Yugi. He reached up and inserted two of his finger into Yugis mouth, coating them with saliva and the renements of his release. Using the finger he just coated he pushed one into Yugis entrance, while he widened the entrance he followed Yugis lead grasping Yugis member and running his tongue on the underside while Yugi straddled him. Yugi jolted and cried out as the feeling hit, sliding his tongue around again. Atem used the tip of his tongue to slowly circle the tip sometimes using the wider base of his tongue to cover it before he took it entirely into his mouth.

Yugi was sweet and warm and wet with pre-cum, making it even more arousing. Atem inserted another finger and thrust both of them in and out making Yugi thrust himself back into them, releasing Yugi, Atem kissed and sucked Yugis nipple again.

"I can't I need…" Atem new exactly what Yugi wanted, removing his fingers Yugi moved himself over Atem slowly sitting down Yugi pushed himself onto Atem. Yugi looked up at the ceiling panting hard and trying to absorbed the feeling of having Atem so deep inside him, it was almost too much and tears began to fall down his face. Atem was at his limits he thrust his hips upward making Yugi cry out and release, but he wasn't nearly relaxed. He pushed his hips down pushing Atem in further, Atem ground his teeth together in an attempt not to spoil Yugis attempt to further pleasure them both. After a few times of this Yugi had finally found his rhythm, he added his own thrust to Atems every time pushing themselves closer together.

Finally loosening it Atem wrapped his arms around Yugi pulling him down and onto the blankets, he drove into him hard trying to find his release that he so desperately needed. Yugi's arms wrapped around his neck holding them close Atem could here every single grunt, moan and cry in his ear as he thrust himself in faster almost near his climax. Yugi pushed his hips into Atems feeling Atems climax coming and wanting to finish off together, he rocked his hips with Atems increasing the plausereable feelings. He grunted as he released along with Yugi who dug his fingers into Atems back drawing blood.

Yugi was the first to awaken, his head hurt and so did his back.

"We need to remember to keep the cactus juice to a minimal from now on, I don't think I've been this tired for a long while." Atem shifted letting his arm lay lazily across Yugis hips.

"Wait, what? Cactus Juic-" they were a little foggy but he could remember them clear enough to make him wish he couldn't remember. His face became bright red from the embarrassment at some of the things he said and did, he couldn't even look at Atem in the face. Chuckling at Yugi's reaction he pulled his head onto Yugis lap nuzzling the warm skin of his stomach with an expression on his face that resembled a cat content in his field of cat nip. He would defiantly haft to add some of that cactus juice to Yugis drink every once in a while.


End file.
